The vampire diaries - Damned if you do
by cupcakelover.mel
Summary: Caroline's life is threatened, Bonnie has been targeted by a supernatural force, a new character (Melissa) is introduced who may hold all the answers that their survival will depend upon. Stefan and Damon's relationship will be tested and unexpected reunions will bring joy to some and sorrow to others and Stefan risks everything for his beloved Caroline.
1. Chapter 1

**Finding the truth**

The sun rose above the horizon, the first light of day stretching out across the earth as if reaching out an arm of protection, a shield that offered the warmth of security against all that dwells in the night. For this is the usual domain of evil, the popularly accepted time for horror to be unleashed. When it is dark…when it is cold and when you are alone. It should therefore stand to reason that if the opposite of all these things were true for you in your life then you would be safe. The safest a person could be anyway, so to be in a small town named Mystic Falls, where the locals smile and bid you 'good day', everything must surely be ok.

When you first glance upon the beauty of Mystic Falls you could be forgiven for believing that mystics actually once resided here. It does indeed appear to be a very spiritual place where one could imagine finding the truths that lay beyond the intellect of the mind. It radiates peacefulness and calm, on the surface anyhow, but venture beyond this and it may be at your peril…

Stefan and Caroline didn't take nearly enough moments in a day, just to enjoy being with one another. There was always something to do or someone to help, some place to be or someone to save… even someone to bring back from the dead from time to time. Every now and then though they would catch each other looking, watching…drinking in and stealing the moment as if it may never come again. This was usually when they were looking at each other for their love was beyond normal human love, it exceeded what could be conceived of in dreams or books… their love truly was mystical.

In these moments when they caught each other like this, one of them would give the tiniest of smiles, one that was meant only for the other, to reassure and to acknowledge feeling the same way. It was these little idiosyncrasies that strengthened their bond and nothing on earth could break it and nothing on earth should try.

As the two of them started their day, Caroline received a call from Bonnie. Bonnie's witch powers, inherited through her family line had been growing and changing lately. It had unsettled Bonnie because she wasn't sure what the implications would be. She had already broken so many supernatural rules recently and she had been warned about doing this by her beloved grandmother, that she feared this may be a consequence of that because there were always consequences. "Caroline? Are you there? Whispered Bonnie in to the mouthpiece of the phone. "Bonnie? Yes I'm here, is everything ok? Why are you whispering?" replied Caroline. "Something's wrong care, someone's listening".

"What do you mean listening? ... In on our call? ... Is someone there with you?" Caroline's voice becoming slightly more frantic with each question.

A lot had changed in Mystic Falls over the previous few years but Caroline didn't need super powers to know that something was very wrong with Bonnie.

"Where are you Bonnie? I'll come to you" Caroline stated, in a far more authoritative voice than she had been using.

"No! Stay away Care, he's looking for you. I'm not sure who it is but I know that much… I need more time to figure it out, I just wanted to warn you to be on your guard…and trust no one. I'll be in touch soon." And with that the call was ended.

Caroline thought to herself, in an almost regrettable way… I'm always on my guard Bonnie, and why would someone or something be looking for me? I know Bonnie said 'he' but if it's affecting her this way, making her…afraid for me, then maybe 'he' is an it.

Stefan had been waiting silently and patiently for the call to end to find out what was wrong and what they could do. The look on Caroline's face wasn't promising that heir day was going to be 'regular' and Stefan knew her well enough to see the concern for Bonnie.

Stefan could of course have listened to the conversation as it took place, he did after all have a vampire's hearing but he and Caroline had agreed to afford the other the privacy that would be theirs if they were a' normal human' couple. He thought to himself, even now, that this was what he loved most about Caroline, that no matter what was happening, her first thoughts were always of others. He had stolen another moment.

Stefan didn't need to say anything. Caroline turned to him (their eyes locked on each other) and said "we may be in trouble". She walked by him briskly, slipping her hand in to his as she went. At the very touch of her hand his grip tightened and he loyally followed her lead.

Caroline knew, or more accurately sensed that only one person could help her here. It was the very fact that she was sensing Melissa that told her what to do and where to go. Caroline had met Melissa a few months prior when she had left Mystic Falls to find Damon. Melissa was something that hadn't been seen in Mystic Falls for generations. She was a supernatural that could seek out any other form of supernatural and link with it. Other than that there wasn't much known about them but Caroline knew that Melissa had stepped in and helped her once before when she had no reason to and so felt a bond of trust between them. She was aware this could be a possible manipulation by Melissa but at this point she had little choice. She would be cautious but would move forward and meet Melissa and ask for her help.

Melissa was what we called a 'Chanul', guardian or protector; I hoped right now that she would turn out to be exactly that for Bonnie. The further I travelled south the stronger the pull was, this strange force, feeling, knowing…that very soon I would find her, or she would find me. The stronger the feeling got the more I seemed to know about what was going on. I think Melissa had linked with me somehow and was already helping me.

After 57 miles and 48 minutes driving we pulled on to an old dirt track and there waiting for us was Melissa, smiling as though we were old friends reuniting after many years apart. She seemed genuinely happy to see me, which was good but unusual and even more strangely I felt the same. I kept reminding myself it was the link but knowing that didn't seem to help the feelings get any less or easier to control.

She knew right away I had questions about how I was feeling but after hugging me and shooting Stefan a mean southern smile she manoeuvred us back toward our car and climbed in the back seat. We need to get back to Mystic Falls and give Bonnie this…she was showing us a small vile of something green, it looked as though it was glowing and I had never seen anything like it before.

"What is it? Will it help her? What is going on?" I said sounding a little frustrated now. "Don't you know? I've been trying to share the information with you but your mind is incredibly strong Caroline, you've been resisting." explained Melissa. "No I haven't", I protested…"Not on purpose anyway".

Melissa sniggered, "its ok hun…I can share now, let me break it down for you". Stefan raised his hand, which caught Melissa's eye and interrupted her explanation, his finger pointing up as though asking for permission to speak. "Err…he paused, have we met before? You look very familiar to me". She gave him a look that was edged with surprise; she looked into his eyes as though she was trying to fathom a secret. She smiled smugly and sat back in to the seat like a child…not exactly Stefan, no, we haven't met before. Our gaze shifted from Melissa to each other. Stefan opened his mouth to speak again but before he could get a word out Melissa stated that she believed we had exactly 48 minutes before we would be back in Mystic Falls and she would explain on the way.

We headed back with Melissa explaining what she knew; I kept thinking that at any minute she would say something less frightening and at the very least somewhat positive about what was happening to Bonnie and why someone was looking for me. She clarified who the mystery someone was…it was Silas and I remember thinking that I wasn't far off when I considered that the 'he' might be an 'it'. Our last run in with him wasn't pretty and Stefan was hurt and I was in no mood to tolerate that again. "I feel your anger Caroline, try and stay focused on the task at hand". Said Melissa. I looked at her puzzled, "the link…it helps me anticipate behaviour, it's a far more efficient way to protect people" she responded. "So is that what you do? Protect people? Asked Stefan. Making a face that suggested she was thinking, Melissa replied with, "sometimes… yes, sometimes I find things, sometimes I lend a hand, like now…but mostly I and my people protect balance Stefan". "Balance?" questioned Stefan in a bemused manner. "Yes, the balance of all things…things that keep the world turning and secures the existence of all that resides within it, without it and all around" mused Melissa. Stefan didn't really understand any of that and he didn't pretend to but he would like more to go on and he pressed further for more information.

Melissa took a deep breath; preparing to deliver unwelcome news…"Silas intends to kill Caroline. He has lived way too long and has become paranoid that his demise will come at the hands of a doppelganger; he has a mystic in his employ that is feeding him prophecy and fuelling his psychosis. It is true that there is a prophecy that speaks of the power of the doppelgangers and that they could bring about the end days of the first immortal. Unfortunately for Silas, he has not found anyone who could correctly translate it and so far all those that have, have made the same mistake. He believes it is a single doppelganger that will somehow wreak ruin upon him and with the death of each one he becomes convinced that it is another that will threaten his power and position. In truth, it wasn't any one in particular but all. With just one gone his position was secured but his continued interference in the destinies of so many has brought about an intervention from me. I suppose this was a universal failsafe, once there was an immortal there would have to be a way to rein them in if they became a problem. It's funny how things work out, baffling even, but there it is. Silas needs to be stopped and you two are a big part of that. Both doppelgangers…and such a cute couple, you were destined you know? Of course you know…just have to look at you to see that".

Melissa's eyes settled on Stefan way too much for my liking, I could sort of feel what Melissa was feeling but it was so weird because when she looked at Stefan my feelings for him became so intense…like she was amplifying them. I knew that's not how the link was supposed to work but I thought for now I would play the wait and see game, after all, we didn't really know that much about the Chanul and so far everything seemed ok.


	2. Chapter 2

**Heading back**

Silence filled the car for a minute or two as we absorbed what had just been said…"so what's the plan? How do we stop one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful person we know? He…he wants me dead…I don't get it, is he crazy? Is he trying to kill all the doppelgangers?" Caroline said in quick succession, "whoa…take a breath hun, it's gonna be ok. That's why I'm here, to help you. He is most likely going to try and kill everyone eventually, he has kind of…well…lost his way, in a big way…too big of a way to be ignored any longer by the powers that be. Now together, we are going to find a way to destroy him". Melissa stated in a very determined way. "Are we missing something?" Said Stefan, looking directly at Melissa. "No…what do you mean? Look we don't have a lot of time to get ready so let's all just concentrate on that".

Caroline and Stefan shared a moment glancing across at one another but agreed they needed to get back to Bonnie. Stefan whispered to Caroline "do you trust her? Do you really know what it is to be a Chanul? " "Yes and no, to both questions, in that order" she shrugged at Stefan, with her hands palm up and fingers splayed. "Do we really have a choice?"

"You can trust me, Melissa said from the back of the car. "I know what all this must look like and I know you two have been through a lot, I also know there is no real way for me to prove it but Caroline, if you concentrate on the bond we have right now you will feel the truth". Caroline closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She focused on the feeling she had and thought about Melissa. A flood of images and events flashed in her mind, she gasped and startled Stefan. "Are you alright?" "I'm fine, it's ok" she looked across at Stefan, whose wide eyes told her that he was concerned, "wow, that was incredible…and terrifying. It's all ok Stefan, we can trust her" Caroline almost sounded convincing but there was still something in her voice that had Stefan worried.

Stefan wanted some more direct answers and so he addressed Melissa directly. "What is with this bond? Why do you still have it with Caroline?" "I need it to keep her safe, that's all". Melissa could see that being so evasive wasn't going to get her what she wanted and so she turned to Stefan and said, "I have more of a history with Silas than I said, I WANT to stop him and I'm glad for the opportunity. This isn't just another job for me, although I do enjoy my work (she smiled), Silas took something from me, something very precious and I have a chance to get it back now. It's complicated…she sighed, before he decided to go after Caroline I was powerless to act. As a Chanul I am bound by certain rules, I cannot enact a course of action for personal gain or to exact any type of retribution no matter how much I want to, however, if something happens that activates my involvement that just happens to also give me what I want this is just luck…and hunny, I just hit the jackpot. We have to work together; we must have trust for it to work…if there is any doubt or sign of weakness Silas can and will exploit it. Once he knows we are together and where we are going, he may well figure out what we are going to do."

"Really?! Because I'm sitting right here and I still have no clue what we are going to do". Melissa smiled warmly at Stefan and said calmly and quietly, "we are going to raise the dead".

"Is that a figure of speech? Or am I about to reunite with somebody that left this realm literally..?

"We must raise all the fallen doppelgangers; it's the only way to stop Silas".

"Ok, so we are raising the dead… Not our first rodeo there…how will we do it, it seems that Bonnie has gone off the reservation a little right now so I don't think she will be able to help us".

"That's why we need to find her quick. Silas has somehow formed a link with Bonnie, but she is strong and very powerful so his link is just like a whisper, or a presence, that's why she described it to you as someone listening. She is aware of him and that makes him weaker and her in more danger".

"How did you know that's what she said to me?" Caroline uttered a little warily.

"The link" Melissa said flippantly, "we are quite connected, you and I".

"Yeah well, now it's getting a little weird".

"I'm sorry…I realise this must be difficult, hopefully not for long".

"So…we find Bonnie, break the link completely between her and Silas and then bring back three people from the dead. Of course the moment we break the link he will probably guess you're involved Caroline, it might be a bit like sending up a beacon advertising where you are. Once we get Bonnie we will need to move fast to get to somewhere safer so that we can begin".

"Do you know what you are doing"? Asked Stefan," I mean, I should probably call Damon"

"I do and we will need Damon but not until later… first we go here" she said pointing to a spot on the map. "Chicago? What do we need in Chicago"?

"Tom, we need Tom". He will be the first to return.

Caroline's facial expression changed suddenly to one filled with sadness and hurt. Her brow wrinkled as though her head hurt and she turned away from the others for a moment. Melissa slowly looked towards her and offered comfort with words that told Caroline everything would be ok, she didn't need to feel regret or sadness any longer. "I know that you tried to save Tom, Caroline and I feel every bit of your sorrow at failing to do that, but it really wasn't your fault. Our bond is strengthened because of that act",

A single tear ran down Caroline's face as she remembered Tom…Stefan took her hand across the car seat and squeezed it softly.

"Are you sure we can do it? We can bring him back"?

"Oh yes, and not just him, we can bring them all back, and when we do Silas' days will be numbered.


	3. Chapter 3

**Finding Bonnie**

Arriving back in Mystic Falls the trio headed for a woodland area that Caroline knew might be a place Bonnie would go to feel safe.

"How long do you think we will have? Once we find Bonnie I mean" inquired Stefan.. "Long enough, we'll have long enough" said Melissa, seemingly no doubt in her mind now.

"This seems like a bad plan" Stefan said to himself.

Caroline turned to Melissa and asked "Can you tell us what happened between you and Silas? What did he take from you? Or should I ask…who did he take from you?"

Melissa smiled at Caroline's perceptiveness and said "Right now I can't, no…it's too much Caroline, the power of emotion is so strong and I'm afraid if I let myself become too emotional I may not be able to control myself. For a Chanul being out of control is unacceptable, I must stay focused…and with that in mind I am going to break the link we share now, your feelings for Stefan are overwhelming me and it will be safer for us all this way".

"Ok, do I need…" that's as far as Caroline got with her words before she let out a shudder and a gasp. The link was broken. Caroline and Melissa looked at each other, Caroline seemed to be checking whether she could still sense Melissa and for a few intense seconds Stefan wasn't even sure what was going on. "It's weird isn't it? When the link is broken, said Melissa " Most of the time you're not even aware it's there, but when it's gone it's a profound loss…well, depending who you are linked with of course. I will miss you though Caroline, you were unique in many ways".

Stefan let out a louder than expected sigh of relief that the bond was gone and both girls looked at him. His eyes awkwardly shifted from one to the other, his mouth slightly open as if desperately trying to find the right thing to say. His phone rang and interrupted the moment; much to Stefan's relief (again), he quickly answered it before anyone could say anything.

"Hello?" "Hey brother, where ya been"? "Damon! Thank god it's you…a lot's happened, Bonnie's in trouble, Caroline's in trouble too…we're with a Chanul and Silas"…"Whoa, Stefan…what the hell? Interrupted Damon, A Chanul? Those things aren't real…have you been on the blood again?"

"What? No…look, we're heading to the woods, we think Bonnie might be somewhere she feels more connected…and safe, do you know where I mean? Meet us there but don't tell anyone anything and I'll explain when I see you."

Damon looked at his phone as though it might hold more answers for him and said out loud, to the phone…"don't tell anyone anything? What am I gonna say, that you're crazy?...and Bonnies always in trouble. But despite the fact that he didn't have any kind of an explanation Damon faithfully headed out to meet his brother and to help protect his 'family'.

When Stefan looked up from his phone call he noticed very quickly that Melissa was staring at him, no, more like glaring at him. "What?" said Stefan indignantly… "I thought I said we would need Damon later, not now". "I need him now. You don't get to decide that".

With Melissa obviously a little annoyed, the three of them headed deeper in to the woods on foot.

Stefan went ahead of the girls to make better time and to check if Bonnie was even there. Caroline stayed alert and she and Melissa proceeded in silence.

Stefan arrived at the spot in the woods where Bonnie's family bond was strongest, a place she could establish a link with her ancestors and draw strength from their power, even though their physical presence had long since left this world.

He walked around for a few minutes, so desperately wanting to call out her name but not knowing who or what else might be there, he dare not. He had almost reached the point of deciding that she wasn't there when she appeared from, what seemed like nowhere. Bonnie quickly beckoned for him to come close and taking his hand she pulled him in to a place that was very different, quieter and still. She scratched him and drew blood, he pulled his hand away, looking a little worried and surprised at the same time. "Ow, what are you doing?" Stefan whispered angrily.

"You needn't whisper here Stefan, and I had to be sure it was really you. He can't find me here and he is definitely looking…when I stepped out to bring you in it was deafening...his voice, calling to me. I thought you were him at first because I know who it is now."

"Silas" said Stefan in an informed way. "Yes, he's back and he found a way in to my head, he's looking for Care, she's not with you is she? I still don't know how to get him out and we can't all stay here."

"Calm down Bonnie, Caroline is on her way and she is bringing a friend, someone who can help you and then all of us."

"Stefan, the only thing that would have a chance against Silas is a Chanul and there are no longer any in the world, so unless you found a way to time travel or know of something else that I don't, then"…she stopped talking at this point and looked at Stefan's face, reading every micro expression, her eyes widened a little and she became very still, then an edge of excitement and wonder etched itself on her face as she uttered, "You have a Chanul don't you?" she waited for a response, but before Stefan could give one she continued "how?, where?" she looked from side to side in disbelief and started pacing back and forth. "Oh Stefan", she said with trepidation, "we could all be in a lot more trouble that n I thought".

Caroline and Melissa arrived at the sight some time later, the fact that Stefan hadn't returned told them he had found Bonnie or needed help, either way they had to continue to the meeting point.

As soon as they arrived Bonnie included them in the safety of her sanctuary. "I'm impressed" stated Melissa, not many people could have created this pocket in time and space "I think I'm going to really like you."

"You're the Chanul?" "Yes Bonnie, I am" Melissa smiled; she liked it when others had heard of her people and asked in such an impeccably straight forward way. "Should I be concerned?" "Yes, you should be, Melissa said in an affirming manner, but the better question is, are you prepared?"

"Prepared? …For what?" "To fight, Bonnie, there's more than trouble coming this way, Damon Salvatore is heading here as well." "Come on, Stefan says in defence of his brother, Damon's not always trouble.

"Here, Bonnie, drink this" Caroline hands her the vile of green solution. "Really Caroline? What's in it? What will it do and where the hell did you get it?"

"I brought it, said Melissa, in fact I made it and if you ever want to get out of this bubble and reclaim your life you will have to trust me…and drink it.

Sensing Bonnie's apprehension Melissa looked at her, moved closer, took her hands and softly stated "I am here to help you Bonnie, You know of Chanul, I can see that in you, but you do not know all of us or the witch in you would be saying, fight with her, stand with her, and you will know power and it will be true."

Bonnie reacted in a way that suggested she had just received a wakeup call… "Ok, I'll go with it for now, but don't cross us or Chanul or not, I will find a way to bring you down."

"That's so sweet…that you think you could. I love the bond of friendship that you all share; it's rare and quite beautiful."

Bonnie drank the liquid and stepped outside, back in to the woods. Her head was clear and quiet again at last, the others also stepped out and looked around to check it was clear to continue.

"Stefan!?" called Damon, over and over again…Melissa flashed a look of contempt at Stefan and he nervously smiled before running off at vampire speed to reach Damon and shut him up.


	4. Chapter 4

**Keeping a promise …**

Stefan quickly located Damon and brought him up to speed about Melissa and what was going on. "Do you two actively seek out trouble or does it just find you all by itself? Because I've gotta tell you, it seems unlikely that it would just keep knocking at your door the way it does bro."

"Really? … Bro… how much trouble have you been in Damon?" Stefan said rhetorically, "oh and by the way, I don't think Melissa likes you".

The group comes together and Damon eyes Melissa suspiciously, looking her up and down. When he catches Melissa's eye he starts to think Stefan may be right about her not liking him but that was odd considering he had never met her before, he didn't think he had anyway. He started trying to recall events from his past, recounting them as though this would in some way arm him against her and allow him to mount a defence about why she should like him. For now he would keep his distance and a cautious eye on her.

"Right" said Melissa, "let's go". They all headed back toward the car. "There's five of us" declared Damon, "the car's gonna be a little cramped."

"Maybe you should stay here Damon and we'll call when we need you" said Melissa, "Oh I don't think so", says Damon very calmly, "the fact that you don't want me to go is the very reason I am definitely going." His eyes were fixed on Melissa the whole time. She smiled a quirky smile, as though she might be reconsidering liking Damon.

Her smile intrigued Damon further and infuriated him at the same time. "Where are we going?" he asked Stefan. "Chicago…we're going to Chicago to get Tom".

Damon took a long look at Melissa in a last attempt to identify her before they left Mystic Falls. He observed everything about her and hoped he would trigger a memory. She stood approximately five feet and six inches tall; she had long, wavy, ebony hair. Her eyes were the deepest, sharpest blue. She had a slender frame, athletic and toned. Her skin was flawlessly olive and she had perfect teeth. "Hmmm…this girl was perfect", Damon thought to himself, "I would absolutely remember a perfect girl…Hey wait a minute, no one's perfect, something's definitely up here". His forehead wrinkled a little and his eyes closed slightly as he pondered what it might be.

"I'm taking my own car" said Damon, pulling Stefan to the side, "keep an eye out and be careful, I'll meet you there."

So, Bonnie, Melissa, Caroline and Stefan headed to Chicago, armed with nothing but each other. Melissa was quite calm, Bonnie was a little freaked and Caroline and Stefan were concerned for one another.

As they drew closer to Tom's resting place, Melissa became noticeably nervous, this put everyone else on edge and this brought about a rather rushed conversation that concerned somewhat of a plan. It was as if Melissa didn't care for planning, she just rushed off.

"Melissa" said Caroline impatiently "slow down, what are you doing? We don't even know how we are going to bring him back…what are we doing here? What are we supposed to do?"

Melissa realised she was being totally unprofessional and apologised to the group. "You're right she said, we do need some things. Can you find ten large pillar candles, scented with vanilla; I like vanilla…and Ginger root, Feverfew and a Lapis Lazuli stone.

"Ok, let's get this stuff and get moving, Silas may already be on his way" said Caroline. It didn't take the three of them long to find what they needed, not in the city. Melissa was totally preoccupied with the site where Tom was buried but we all assumed this was how she prepared for what was to come. The candles were placed around the grave and the herbs were mixed and prepared. "We have to dig" declared Melissa "to free him we must lay the herbs upon the body". Stefan got the spade from the trunk of the car and began to dig; it wasn't long before he reached the casket.

Melissa carefully opened it, her eyes welling up with tears. She placed the herbs so delicately over the body and the Lapis Lazuli stone on the forehead. The other three exchanged looks, wondering why Melissa was so emotional. "Are you Ok?" Stefan quietly asked… Melissa didn't seem to hear him; she was completely focused on Tom. She began to chant some dialect we couldn't recognise, we could barely hear her and her eyes shone. We took a cautious step back, away from the grave and it appeared in the darkness and the moonlight as though she were glowing. The wind picked up a little and it was harder to hear anything now. I took Stefan and Bonnie's hands instinctively and moved closer. When we were within reach Melissa stretched out her arms, one hand taking Stefan's and one Bonnie's. At that moment we were all connected and for a split second our eyes glowed the most brilliant blue.

In one powerful rush of adrenalin it was over. Melissa was leaning over Tom's body, holding his hand, his eyes fluttered open and he gasped, filling his lungs with air. His head turned slightly as he saw Melissa, I was expecting him to totally freak out. He wouldn't know where he was or who Melissa was. I felt I should move closer so that he could see me, thinking this would reassure him that everything was ok, although once I had thought that, I also considered the possibility that seeing me would freak him out, after all he hadn't had the best of luck when he was around us.

I stepped out from behind Melissa so that I could see his face, seeing him there was so strange…I looked back at Stefan to reassure myself and then back at Tom. A sudden realisation came over me and I thought to myself, "How could I be so stupid not to see it"? Tom wasn't distressed at all, he was smiling and Melissa was beaming through the tears that now fell freely onto Tom's face. She pulled him up and closer…"its ok" she whispered, "I'm here now".

"Lissa", Tom croaked. His voice still a little raspy… "Could you get some water please"? Melissa asked, but everyone just stood in bewilderment and amazement…Melissa turned around and repeated…"Water, please". Bonnie grabbed some from her bag and offered it.

Tom drank a sip from the bottle and pulled himself out of the grave with some help from Stefan and Melissa. He turned to Melissa, taking her hand so gently…"you did it" he said, "you found a way, just like you always said you would". She placed a hand on the side of his face, gently caressing his skin, "I said I would…if anything happened". She looked down and Tom said "Hey, none of this was your fault, remember that". He pulled her in close and they hugged tightly, as if afraid to let go in case they might not ever get each other back. When their embrace loosened and their eyes met, their lips found each other and their passion ignited once again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Where's Damon?**

As Damon headed back toward his car he was planning in his head what he needed to pick up before he headed to Chicago. He never liked to go anywhere unprepared and he wanted to know a little bit more about Melissa before he blindly followed any plan of her making. Back at the boarding house, within the library were many old books that contained many mystical creatures, some were purely fictitious and some were more likely to be based on truth. Damon had thought that the Chanul was fictitious and he had never paid much attention to any references made to it, but now he wanted a second look at some of that literature.

When Damon arrived home everything was as it should be, nothing was out of place and nothing was setting off Damon's vampire senses but his human ones were saying something else. It'd been a while since his human self had made an appearance and it was almost as uncomfortable for him as it was curious. He headed straight for the books, he knew there wasn't a lot of time to play with and he needed to find the right one. He grabbed a small stack from the end of the bookcases and tossed each one aside as he determined it was not the one he wanted. 'Bingo' he murmured in a low satisfying tone as he opened the pages of a book that looked as though it might crumble from age. It was however, remarkably preserved on the inside and Damon read the story of the Chanul and how it had disappeared before the very eyes of its pursuer.

The story continued to tell an unbelievable tale of power and might wielded by those who came from the shadows. It spoke of steel blue eyes and a strength that could challenge that of the very wind. 'This was proving to be interesting reading' Damon thought and he wondered how much truth there was to it and how much of it was simply the fear of simple men. He was just about to turn the page when his human voice whispered in his head…'listen'. He looked up from the book and payed attention to what he could hear…faint footsteps, those of a person trying hard not to be heard…more than one- four at least, moving faster now and coming from each direction. He listened for heart beats, there were many more of these and it looked like he was surrounded. He couldn't take the chance of them finding the book and whatever else it might contain but he didn't know either and he really didn't want to destroy it. He pondered his options for a moment and as his eyes moved around the room looking for a solution his gaze settled on the fire. "Damn it" he growled and tossed the book into the flames.

Damon wouldn't usually be unsettled by strangers approaching in his house uninvited but something did seem different on this occasion, this annoying voice in his head for one. Typically Damon would just speed off in a flash, find the intruder, kill them and that would be that but the stakes were high on this one, Caroline's life, possibly Stefan's…Silas gone crazy, well crazier anyway and this strange and beautiful beguiling entity calling herself Melissa…so he had to be more cautious.

As Damon turned to just blast past whoever was there and make a run for it he was hit by something, it struck his chest, it was small and sharp and it penetrated deep enough to release its toxin. His legs felt immediately weak and they began to tremble very slightly. His equilibrium was shaken and he moaned "You have got to be kidding me" as he faltered in his stepping to the wall. He slumped to his knees but was conscious enough to see figures approaching. A man stood before him that he did not recognise who asked "Where is Caroline?" before Damon could even think about answering another male motioned to the fire place and what was left of the book. "What were you burning? Where were you going?" the voice probed, "grab what's left, it might be useful" barked the stranger to one of the others. By this point Damon was on all fours desperately trying to regain some stability and reaching for something to help him stand. "Take him" were the orders given and immediately following that Damon was struck across the temple and into darkness.

When Damon awoke he was tied up and bound to a tree, he could see several men nearby milling around and discussing something. He was still a little groggy from the drug in his system and so there voices were muffled but he could feel it leaving and his strength returning. Defiantly and somewhat sarcastically he shouts "Really?, a tree? I don't even get a dungeon or a basement". The stranger from the house approached and stood right in front of Damon, barely an inch between their faces. "Well, I don't know about you" says Damon," but I'm starting to feel a tad uncomfortable with this arrangement… are we going steady?" the stranger smirks a little, one side of his mouth raising as he steps back. "Humour? And no fear…you either know nothing or you know everything, which is it?"

Damon looked perplexed, "I'm gonna go with …nothing, unless that answer gets me killed, then I'm gonna go with a lot. I really don't want to say everything, that's a lot to live up to don't you think?" throughout the exchange between them Damon was trying to break free of his bonds but he knew it would be a while before there was any chance of that.

"Who are you and what do you want with me?" he asked.

"Who I am is irrelevant Damon and what I want is Caroline, where is she?"

"I'm not her keeper, how would I know?

"I can smell her on you…you've been with her tonight…so do us all a favour and tell me where."

Damon could sense other vampires and this guy was not a vampire and he wasn't a wolf either so how could he smell her? This thought more than any other occupied Damon's mind…what was he? How many other things were there and was he even going to get out of this one, were others. He looked up in to the night sky and as the clouds cleared and the moonlight shone down so gracefully he muttered "I could sure use your help about now brother."

"Why am I tied to a tree?" was Damon's question to the stranger.

"We don't have a lot of time…so answer quickly and save yourself some pain."

"What do you want with Caroline? You know my brother will never let you have her and he will kill anyone who tries."

A searing pain went through Damon's side that took his breath away and forced him to scream out in pain. "What the hell?" Screamed Damon…"I don't know where she is" he sneered through gritted teeth "and even if I did….aaaaargh…he screamed again as another searing hot poker was pushed through his flesh.

Suddenly…stillness fell over the area and everyone noticed. The poker was pulled from Damon's side and he let out another slightly muffled groan. The men surrounding him looked about them, sensing a foreboding spirit approaching. They seemed almost panicked, they could feel it but they couldn't see it. "Secure him, the leader said pointing at Damon, but before the men could take another step toward him they were tossed in to the air. A brilliant light poured down as if from nowhere and utterly destroyed them, taking them apart without mercy. Damon's bonds broke and he was free, his eyes tried to adjust to the darkness once again following the blinding of the light as he stumbled to his feet.

He looked ahead of him where he thought he saw movement and from across the way, a little in the distance… he saw two glowing steel blue eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

**Reconnecting**

Caroline's mouth fell open as she saw Tom and Melissa reunite and she stared at them for a moment before realising what she was doing, she then quickly closed her mouth, diverted her gaze and returned to Stefan's side. Her lips turned inward and her eyes to the side as she tried to stifle a smile and Stefan still wasn't sure what was going on. Bonnie looked at Caroline and Stefan and they at her, in silence as they all continued to watch Melissa and Tom. Caroline felt the time was right to offer an interruption by clearing her throat but this did nothing in the way of getting Melissa's attention.

Stefan stated "well, Tom seems fine…more than fine actually, did you know about the two of them?"

"No…I had no idea, but it explains how she was looking at you all this time."

"But how…how could we not know about this?"

Caroline looked at Stefan, confused…"How come Tom never told us he knew her or about the supernatural? He always acted completely surprised by everything…we thought he was an innocent."

"Loving someone, no matter who that someone is doesn't make you any less innocent Stefan, he must have loved her very much to keep quiet with what he went through."

"We need to leave." Shouted Stefan sounding almost annoyed

"Hey, what's wrong?" asked Caroline, "secrets get people killed and all there's been for the past couple of days are secrets that keep building on secrets. I don't like being kept in the dark…and where's Damon, he should have been here by now." Said Stefan as he took Caroline by the elbow and guided her to the exit.

As Melissa squeezed Tom's hand and looked into his eyes she whispered in a voice so quiet, "you kept your promise."

He looked at her and smiled a sweet smile "you doubted me?" "Not your intentions..but maybe your resilience, things often change when you're up against something frightening or …well, you know, things can change."

"I said I would never reveal you…You are the most gentle, spiritual, honest and loving person I have ever known. What you do and how you do it is beyond magical… You stole my heart and you gave me a new life and a different perspective. I love you Liss and the strength that gives me could stand against anything."

Melissa's eyes were wide with pride and joy at hearing his words and she wished they could remain in that moment for ever but she knew they had to move and so she gave Tom a nod that acknowledged everything he had just said and put herself in agreement with it. The two of them walked over to Stefan and Caroline where Stefan handed Tom some cleaner clothes of his and they all stood there. "What are we waiting for? Asked Melissa, "well some sort of explanation would be nice." says Bonnie.

Melissa looks around the group, all eyes are on her…"Oh, me and Tom know each other,"

Caroline looked directly at Tom, her head slightly tilted, a gesture he recognised as a demand for an answer. "I'm sorry Caroline, I'm sorry I couldn't say anything before…I couldn't…I couldn't risk … her, his words fell away and Caroline didn't need any more than that. She knew very well what he meant and how he felt, it was exactly how she felt about Stefan.

"I know there's a lot you all need to know about what's going on…you deserve to know and I couldn't have got Tom back without you. For that I will be forever in your debt and I will tell you what I can as soon as I can. Please believe that and continue to trust me for just a while longer" pleaded Melissa. "You're right Stefan, we need to leave…Silas doesn't know where we are yet but he's looking more aggressively now. Damon isn't coming here, he will meet us in Wisconsin."

"Wisconsin? Why are we heading there?" Stefan was in no mood to jump back in the car, he had already driven for almost 10 hours to get to Chicago and hadn't eaten anything…

They were all extremely tired and Melissa suddenly recognised this fact, she doesn't tire the same way as vampires or humans do and so she often overlooks how frail they can be…even in their strength. "Ok, we'll find somewhere close by to rest and we'll head off in the morning. You two, referring to Caroline and Stefan, need to find some blood and Bonnie, I threw some food in the trunk for you and Tom."

Stefan moved towards Melissa, "Stefan?" Caroline called curiously, "Why isn't Damon coming here? He didn't call and say he wasn't coming…what's happened to him? What have you done?"

"Calm down Stefan…he's fine, he ran into a little trouble but he's ok".

"How could you know that? Where is he?" he said taking out his cell and beginning to call Damon.

The phone rang and after several rings Damon answered…"Hey bro…a little late but good to hear from you".

"What do you mean Damon? Are you alright? Where are you?"

"I'm ok..I'll tell you all about it when I see you, you are not gonna believe what happened, hell I don't believe it. Are you still in Chicago?"

"Until tomorrow morning, then we're heading for Wisconsin".

"Wisconsin?" ,,, "Yeah I know…I'll text you the details, can you meet us there?"

"Sure…see you there tomorrow". "Oh and Damon…bring some blood, Ok bye"

Following the call he looked at Melissa in anticipation of an explanation. She calmly said "I have linked to all of you in a small way…it just happens, it allows me to keep track of where you are and lets me know if you get in to trouble, that's it, nothing more intrusive I swear."

Stefan seemed satisfied with this answer for now and they left to find somewhere safe to rest and regroup. A small motel off the beaten track seemed like a good location and they took two adjoining rooms. Bonnie fell on to the bed exhausted while Stefan took the car to acquire some blood bags from a clinic they passed about 10 miles back. Caroline freshened up in the bathroom and Melissa and Tom took the other room.

Once they were alone they hugged each other for the longest time. Tom's arms grasped Melissa's body tightly and she buried her face into his chest. "How much do you remember of what happened Tom?"

"Not much, I remember a guy called Enzo and I remember Caroline and then nothing…last thing was me and Caroline heading for her car and then me opening my eyes to you and I was in the ground."

"I'm so sorry I couldn't get to you sooner…I wanted to, I really did, I tried to find a way".

"Shhh…it's ok, You're here now, there was nothing you could do then, I know that…so what are we going to do now, why are we heading for Wisconsin and most imortantly…can you stay this time?

"I couldn't leave you again even if I wanted to, that spell I cast bound us…now your fate is also mine…and vice versa, I had to Tom, it was the only way." Melissa said stealing a look into his eyes to see if she would be met with disapproval.

"Was that a proposal?" he said shyly and smiling from ear to ear..

Melissa smiled back and they met each other in a lovers embrace, their lips pressing against each other, their eyes shut and their minds filled with thoughts of a love that would dare to cross an expanse of time and space to reunite.


	7. Chapter 7

**The cost**

By the time Caroline came out of the bathroom Bonnie was already asleep on one of the beds, Caroline covered her with a blanket and sat on the edge of the other bed exhausted herself. She knew Stefan wouldn't be long and wanted to wait for him to make sure he was OK before she rested but she could barely keep her eyes open. The overwhelming tiredness was like being drugged and Caroline suddenly felt panicked and a rage building inside her. She got to her feet although a little wobbly, she grabbed her phone from the table and called Stefan.

'He answered, thank god', thought Caroline and she let out a heavier and louder breath than usual…

"Is everything OK Caroline?" …there was a pause…no response…"hello…, Caroline!"

"Stefan"…she mumbled, "Something's wrong…something…sssss" her voice dropped off and then there was a thud.

"Caroline!?" Stefan yelled in to the phone…and then he threw it on to the seat next to him and sped towards the motel paying no attention to any speed restrictions or road signs. Six minutes later he burst through the door and found Caroline passed out on the floor and Bonnie unconscious in the bed.

Once he had established she was breathing he shouted for Melissa and Tom. The adjoining door opened and Tom rushed through. He crouched by her side and felt for a pulse, it was still strong and although her breathing was more shallow it was ok. He instructed Stefan to put her on the bed and reassured him that she should be fine. "What the hell do you mean, fine? She collapsed, Bonnie's unconscious!" Tom was in the process of checking Bonnie when Stefan grabbed his shoulder and pulled him around, he needed more than that for reassurance.

"I don't know what's wrong with them Stefan…how do you feel?"

"I….I feel drained…I …" he looked down, his balance shaken for a moment and then his gaze shifted looking for Tom. He could hear Tom's voice but he couldn't tell what he was saying, the sound was distorted as if it had been slowed down and Stefan suspected that Tom and Melissa had set them up. The look on Stefan's face was one of accusation and betrayal. He began to fall and Tom reached him in time to lower him more gently to the ground. He could see Tom's face and from his expression Stefan knew he was not to blame…Stefan grabbed his arm and said "help Caroline…please" before he too lost consciousness.

Tom turned to the doorway where Melissa was now standing and said "I don't know what's wrong with them, I need to get some supplies Lissa, to help them" he grabbed Stefan's arms and pulled him up, laying him on the bed gently and then placing Caroline next to him. Melissa covered them and made sure their heads were resting comfortably on pillows. "How can you be so calm? They're all out and we don't know why". Melissa bit the edge of her lip, she sometimes did this when she was unsure of the reaction she would get or when she thought she was in trouble. "What?" Tom asked…"I may know what's wrong with them".

"May know?" Tom said unamused, "Yes…may…" she said resentfully, and then looking at him, took a deep breathe, rolled her eyes and declared, "Fine…I know what's wrong with them…it's the spell we cast…I cast. I didn't know for sure that this would be a side effect and I think it's worse because I wasn't in complete control, I was distracted…my desire to have you back meant that I wasn't as focused as I should have been and more energy was taken from the others than I should have allowed. This was my mistake but I can fix it".

Melissa sat on the bed with Stefan and Caroline taking hold of each of their hands. She closed her eyes and bowed her head. She began chanting or reciting a spell, with each repetition her voice quickened and on the tenth cycle she lifted her head, her eyes glowed blue and energy passed from her body to each of theirs. They lifted slightly from their still positions and returned to a more peaceful and natural sleep. Melissa repeated this with Bonnie and once they were all returned to a safe state of being she rose to meet Tom but staggered into his arms instead and fell in to a deep sleep herself.

Tom carried Melissa into the other room and placed her tenderly on to the bed; he brushed the hair away from her face and took her hand. His eyes scanned back and forth across her face looking for a sign that she would recover and for the moment…he saw none.

He paced back and forth, along the length of the bed and then to the open door to check on the others. It was so quiet and still Tom wasn't totally sure this was even real…he went over the events in his mind and then sat down on a chair that was in his room. Perched on the edge, his elbows on his knees, his hands on his head, his mind began to take him to a place that he did not want to go. What would he do if Melissa never woke up…his eyes began to fill with tears but he would not let this fear take hold and so he got to his feet and decided, right there and then that he would not let her go.

He approached the bed where she lie and knelt down beside it. He took her hand and held it against his chest as he looked at her face, so peaceful and distant, with her eyes closed he felt as though she was slipping away with every second that passed. "Melissa…Tom whispered so softly…I need to tell you something and I need you to hear me… whatever your plan was, I don't think this was a part of it, I don't know where you are but I need you to come back…right now ok? I feel the link you made with us, more than the others do because I was already linked Liss…through love". Tom's voice wavered and faltered as he tried to find the words that she would hear. "So I know it's because you bound yourself to me that this has happened…I could feel the power of the Chanul and you could feel the weakness of my humanity and it's that weakness that's taking you away… please Lissa, don't leave me now. Open your eyes…"

Suddenly Tom stopped talking altogether; his eyes were fixed on Melissa, a calmness came over him that was eerily comforting for the others who by this point were gathered in the doorway, silently watching. A tiny smile curved the corners of Tom's lips and he closed his eyes as if in prayer. Caroline felt for Stefan's hand that was never very far and their fingers interlocked. "What's going on?" she spoke in a hushed tone trying hard not to disturb Tom, Stefan just shook his head from side to side without making a sound.

Bonnie decided to offer a suggestion, "Should we do something? Help him?"

Just as Caroline opened her mouth to offer a response Tom's head lifted and she paused. …the three of them watched mesmerized, Tom's eyes opened and Bonnie gasped, Caroline and Stefan's eyes widened slightly as they looked at one another and then back at Tom. His eyes were a beautiful glowing, bright blue.

The very next second Melissa awoke and sat upright, her eyes too were glowing blue and she looked at Tom…she drew a deep breath and on the exhale they heard her say "wow…you found me Tom, you found the Chanul within you, the part I bound to you and you pulled me back with it". With surprise in her voice she continued…"I had no idea…" as they continued to admire each other their eyes returned to normal and Tom said "are you OK?"

"I'm fine…I'm OK"

"Well now that you two are Seeing eye to eye, can we please get going? We have a long way to go and I need to see my brother" insisted Stefan.

"Wait Stefan", prompted Caroline, "What happened to us?"

Melissa moved towards them and standing in front of them she gave her apologies, "I'm sorry this happened, I didn't know it would. It was a side effect of the spell".

"What?!" Exclaimed Bonnie, "Just what kind of spell are we talking about? The three of us were knocked on our asses…completely vulnerable and exposed…two vampires and a witch".

"OK look, we all need to eat and drink something before we get going so let's do that while I tell you what I can"

"No…not what you can…everything…you tell us everything" demanded Stefan. "So far you've told us Silas is after Caroline, he wants her dead but as far as I can tell, you're the only one that's put her in danger. Now you explain…or we're just goin' home".

"I've put her in danger?!" Melissa snarled…she moved a step closer to Stefan her heart rate and breathing increasing, I'm the one who is trying to save her…I am the one who has risked more than any of you to do that!" her voice becoming louder and more irate with every word.

"Oh come on…you're here for him and that's it" glancing toward Tom "you don't care about Caroline".

"Lissa, calm down…" Tom said warily as he tried to approach her. She stretched out her arm, motioning him to stay put.

"I do want Tom to survive, that's true…and he will, and I need all of you to make sure that happens but I am here for the long haul and you will do what I say to make that happen!". She took another step towards Stefan, her eyes getting a little brighter as she did so.

In that moment Melissa's hair blew away from her face, a blazing rush of air shot across the room and Tom gulped slightly. Everyone turned to look in his direction alarmed and amazed to see Damon stood there with a knife to Tom's throat. Melissa was enraged and signalled her intention to move on Damon…"uh uh uh…he says smirking, I got the impression you wanted to hurt my brother and let me tell you, if anyone's gonna kill him it'll be me, so why don't you do what Tom suggested and calm down. We can all have a chat and buddy up again…how bout it?"

Damon slowly moved the knife away from Tom's throat and slapped him on the back. "No harm, no foul buddy". Tom moved away from Damon and put his arm out for Melissa, he took her arm and said "Lissa, are you alright?" she let out a huge sigh as if exorcised from a demon. "This humanity thing is harder to get a handle on than I thought…I couldn't control my feelings or my actions. With a sudden realisation Melissa says alarmingly, Tom! I can't protect us! I don't know how you do it… that was so intense; I could have killed him…for asking a question…what's wrong with me?"

"It's OK, you'll get it…it's a new thing for you but YOU CAN control what you do". Tom reassured her.

"Aah, the whole humanity thing…yeah that's a bitch…nothing but trouble, I've been telling Stefan that for years" retorted Damon.

"Damon!" Stefan said, pleased and bemused at his sudden appearance, "What are you doing here? You were supposed to meet us in Wisconsin".

"Yeah, well, I don't like to wait and I don't like being told what to do…besides, some weird blue eyes saved my ass and I thought one of you might know something about that".

Bonnie threw some food towards Tom and passed the cooler filled with blood she had taken from the car to Caroline. "We need to eat and figure out what we are doing. We all need to be on the same page for this to work; we can't keep doubting each other. Now, will someone please tell me, in a simple but detailed manner, what the hell is going on!? …With everybody and everything…


	8. Chapter 8

**The story so far**

"There's only so much I can tell you Bonnie…any of you, and what I do say can never be repeated…" she looked at Damon, "is that clear?!"

Damon looked behind him and then back at Melissa "Some reason you're looking at me there…LISSA?" Damon quipped.

"Look, the long and short of it is...I met and fell in love with Tom a while ago, but being a Chanul and not really living on this plane it was difficult to say the least to maintain a relationship. I don't even really know how it happened...we're very different in regards to our mental and emotional capacities.

"Wait, wait, wait…" Damon said in quick succession, "this plane? As in 'reality,' not giant flying metal bird?"

"As in 'level' or 'position', you get the gist… anyway, Tom and I connected instantly, it was something that I had never experienced before and something I didn't want to ever lose, so we had to think of a way to make that happen, but before we could, Tom was killed. I was powerless to intervene and there was nothing I could do about it. There are limits to my power and how I can use them. The only universe that was thrown out of balance when Tom died was mine, and apparently that doesn't count in the grand scheme of things."

"But when Silas decided to start killing us…that was enough to throw the universe we all live in, out of balance?" Piped Caroline

"If he succeeds... yes, he's broken too many supernatural laws; he has grown beyond the power any earth bound supernatural should possess. Your grandmother was wise Bonnie, she told you this herself, she knew the danger in breaking rules and moving beyond boundaries… so once he made a move against you Caroline I was able to act."

"Why do you need us?" asked Stefan

"As strong as I am Stefan, I need help with this, he is trying to destroy all doppelgangers and claim dominion over the supernatural's that remain here, so I need the help of as many supernatural's and/ or humans that we can muster. (she smiles) so do ya know any?"

"Look we've just about pissed off or killed anyone that could help us" said Damon with a sly smirk on his face "so I think we're screwed, unless you know any more glowing eyed people … they really kick ass".

"When we raised Tom, I used energy from each of you to boost the spell, that's why you were all so drained after. The more people that can help the stronger we will remain. We have to stay as strong as possible to face Silas and we all have to stay alive, we're going to need everyone, which means that as soon as Silas knows what we're doing he will stop at nothing to make sure we can't succeed. We have two more people to bring back and less time to do it with every passing second."

"How do you even know this will work? Raising the dead…and then what? Some of these dead people aren't gonna be so happy to see some of us you know? What if they won't help?"

"So many questions Damon", interrupted Melissa, "Let me worry about that…now we should get going…back to Mystic Falls…we have to get Blake."

"Back to Mystic Falls, well we just came from there, why didn't we get this Blake fella while we were there?"

Melissa stared at Damon, annoyed now at his constant questioning; she wasn't used to it and didn't care for it at all.

"Blake's a girl Damon, said Stefan; she's a doppelganger…right Melissa?"

"How do you know that? Asked Damon

"Cos I think I killed her".

"Oh" said Damon, sensing that would add a level of difficulty to the challenge they faced and something they probably didn't want to deal with right now, he let out a big sigh and declared "everyone get your stuff and hit the road…" the awkward silence that filled the room was enough to get everybody moving.

"Bonnie…do ya wanna ride with me?" suggested Damon, "not a lot of room in that car now but probably still plenty of drama."

Bonnie smiled at Caroline and said "stay in your guard, and I'll see you soon".

Caroline nodded and headed to Stefan's car, she and Stefan got in the back and Melissa and Tom were up front.

"Do you wanna talk about it Stefan? Asked Caroline

"Not much to say really…I didn't know who she was, I was delirious from being trapped… (He paused, finding the memory particularly difficult) and Tessa offered her up for dinner…the smell of the blood was too much for me and I lost control. I fed on her and I killed her".

"That wasn't your fault…"

"Isn't that what we always tell ourselves Caroline? … What we are kills a lot of innocent people. I can't see her being motivated to help us."

"She'll be helping herself as much as us… and she gets a chance at a new life…maybe that will be enough" stressed Caroline. She snuggled up close to Stefan and held his hand, to offer and be the recipient of whatever comfort she could create in such a crazy situation.

Two hours in to their journey and Melissa's eyes glowed the brightest blue…Tom's followed moments later. "Stop the car Tom!" Melissa shouted "He knows…and they're on their way…" she looked puzzled for a moment and then looked behind them…"Damon!" she snarled…they're tracking him."

Damon looked at Bonnie as their car slowed to a stop and said "Why do ya think we're stopping? We're in the middle of nowhere and nowhere near home."

As he saw Melissa leave the other car and approach his at speed he mused "well, this doesn't look good."

He opened the car door to exit as Melissa reached him… "Whatever it is that you think I've done, I'm pretty sure it wasn't me" he said with a typical Damon half smile…

Caroline and Stefan followed closely behind with each of them asking what was going on; Tom stood by the driver's door of Stefan's car… he already knew all he needed to and Bonnie had opted to wait by her side of the car.

"They're tracking you Damon…somehow, when they had you before...they put a tracker on you. Take your clothes off".

"What!? No! It's cold out here…"

"Silas knows where we are and his people are going to be here very soon…we have to find the tracker now."

"There's nothing on my clothes…I wasn't wearing these clothes then, I've changed… so it's not me."

"If it's not on you Damon…then it's IN you."

Damon looked shocked and a little worried about what might be coming next… as did Stefan. "Just what are you saying? What the hell is in me?"

Melissa didn't answer, she grabbed Damon, one hand at the base of his neck and the other on his shoulder and pinned him against the car. Stefan made a move towards her but Caroline put her arm out and stopped him. "She isn't trying to hurt him Stefan."

Damon began to grunt a little and squirm, the grunt turning more to a scream as the moments passed. "She is hurting him Caroline…"

"Stefan wait… if Silas finds us now we'll all be in trouble."

There was an eerie presence surrounding them…the wind picked up and the atmosphere became stormy… a brilliant light shone for the briefest of instants and Damon fell to the floor. Stefan rushed to pick him up and Melissa opened her hand to reveal a shiny slither of metal that pulsed as it emitted its signal. She crushed it and discarded the pieces…"we need to move, quickly."

As Stefan helped Damon into the back of his car he told Caroline he would have to ride with Damon for a while, she decided to join him and they followed behind Melissa and Tom, changing course and hoping to lose their pursuers.

"When they had you before…Damon? Who had you, When?"

"Relax brother… it was nothing… a little trouble that's all…a little torture… a few questions about where your dearly beloved was and then….and then they all died, it was freaky actually."


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank God for love…**

A few hours later Damon was back to his old self and they had found somewhere out of the way to hold up while they came up with a new plan.

"I doubt it will take Silas long to figure out that we were headed back to Mystic falls, I just hope he doesn't know why because I doubt we could get there first. We are gonna have to be clandestine, stealthy, under the radar…Damon are you listening?"

"Really? More jibes at me? It wasn't my fault I got jumped before…I can be stealthy (he looked at Stefan and then at Caroline who were both looking directly at him)… I can."

"Melissa, I don't want to ask the obvious here…but couldn't someone of your power just take Silas out…aren't there more of your people that take care of this sort of stuff…I mean, it all seems a little ridiculous to me, not to mention dangerous for all of us."

"Usually Stefan, you would be absolutely right…we wouldn't be so theatrical and it would all be sorted out by now with no one the wiser… but the way it would have been resolved would not have been to your liking…most of you have lived beyond your natural years and have escaped the grip of death on several occasions and so the solution would have been to remove you all from this existence, including Silas. No more doppelgangers, no more original, no more problem."

"Well why couldn't you just get rid of Silas, he's the crazy psycho trying to kill everyone?" Exclaimed Damon.

"If being a 'crazy psycho' was the only criteria needed for 'getting rid' of someone you would have been gone long ago Damon, wouldn't you?"

Damon gave a snarky facial expression and walked away.

"So what was different this time? Why all this?" asked Stefan

Melissa looked at Tom, the love in her eyes for him was evident to everyone, she really didn't need to say anything but she explained "I couldn't lose Tom if there was a way to save him and the only way to save him was to do this. My people haven't encountered this sort of request before and they weren't happy about it, I wasn't sure they would agree and time was running out…so I acted on my own. That's why I need all of you to help me…I need the extra boost since I have bonded with Tom, linking him to me and me to him our existence and fates are joined, it is because of this that my people cannot act against him…but I also doubt they will rush to our aid if we need it…so there you have it. We either do this together or we die…"

"Well if that's the case, then thank God for love I say" piped up Damon "and what's the plan?"

Melissa laid out a map and marked a place on it where she said Blake was buried…"this is where we need to go, we must be prepared as soon as we get there to perform the ritual. Now that Tom and Damon are here they can fill in for Bonnie and Bonnie, I need you to go home and find anyone who might help us."

"Who can I possibly ask to do that and who the hell is gonna believe this story? I wouldn't believe it…no one is gonna help us, Damon was right…the people that are left in Mystic Falls would probably help Silas before they'd help us…we've burned a lot of bridges."

"I'm aware…but I also know that between you a lot of good things have been achieved and a lot of people owe you their lives." Melissa reached in to her pocket and took out what looked like a perfectly smooth, flawless, oval black gem stone. It truly appeared mystical in nature and she offered it to Bonnie. "Within this stone Bonnie is an account of what has happened, what is happening and a vision of what is to come. Placed in the hand of a willing recipient it may offer a persuasive argument for them to help. For any unintended viewer it will simply remain a shiny black stone."

"Oooh, what else you got in that pocket? Because I don't think a shiny black rock is gonna cut it against these goons." snarled Damon.

"Damon!...come on, we're all in this together" remarked Stefan as he placed his arm across Damon's shoulders and led him a few paces away from the others "Are you alright brother?"

Damon looked at Stefan and smiling he nodded silently…"let's get going then, the sooner we bring this poor girl back from the dead the sooner she can freak out and hurl insults at us all."

Caroline approached Bonnie and told her to be careful…"watch who you trust with this knowledge Bon, trust your own instincts…they've never let you down. When we have Blake we'll be in touch, remember Silas is close and he is looking for us so…" "I know Care, stealthy...I got it" whispered Bonnie.

A while later as they approached Mystic Falls from the back roads Bonnie branched off and the rest of them continued to the burial site. Damon asked why, if they needed to be prepared, hadn't they stopped to buy candles and herbs like before. Melissa said almost shyly…"we don't really need those things Damon, I just thought it would make you feel better to have something to do and that was more like what you might have been expecting…I'm sorry for misleading you but all we need is a Lapis Lazuli gem, they have a very strong mystical force and they will cement the bond of new life with Blake."

"Let me guess, you have one of those in your pocket of magic?"

"As a matter of fact" she said smiling and looking at Damon

Once at the site Stefan and Damon dug out the grave exposing the coffin that held Blake. Damon reached down to open it but was stopped by Stefan. "No brother…I put her in here so it should be me" "Stefan you don't have to, it wasn't your fault" Stefan simply looked at Damon shaking his head from side to side and Damon knew this was something Stefan needed and so just stepped out of the grave. Once the coffin was open Stefan stood there silently looking at Blake's corpse. His eyes welled up with tears and his heart with sorrow as he flashed back to the moment of her death. "Stefan!", called Caroline, releasing him from this trance, "Come on, it's ok." Stefan shook it off and climbed out taking his place next to his love, which at a time like this brought him great comfort. Caroline, Stefan, Damon and Tom stood around the grave with Melissa placed at the head, her arms lifted and out to the side, palms up she began to recite the words that would return Blake to this dimension of being. She had placed the Lapis Lazuli stone on her forehead and with the same mystique as before, the winds blew strong…her whole being glowed, we felt the connection of the Chanul as it pulsed within us and passed between us. Our eyes glowed for that split second and a blast of energy passed to Blake.

The next moments saw an even stranger sight as Blake stood before Melissa as an empty vessel. Caroline's mouth dropped open as she realised that Blake was her doppelganger and for the first time had some sort of understanding of what it was Stefan felt every time he looked at Tom or previously when it had been Silas. It was a surreal feeling and something you couldn't quite explain to anyone.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Damon "She's not a zombie is she? I really hate zombies."

"Any memories of her death have been removed, it'll be hard enough for her as it is to reconcile what has happened without dealing with what and who happened to her…she doesn't need to remember that." She gave a sweet smile to Stefan and surprised but grateful he quickly wiped away a falling tear from his eye and turned around.

With a loud gasp and a stumble backwards Blake was reborn into our world. Melissa gently took her by the hand and guiding her away from the grave said softly "Come with me and let me explain what is happening."

Shortly thereafter Melissa and Blake were making their way towards the car…"Hmmm…I can foresee a problem here" announced Damon counting six of them.

"It'll be fine Damon", Stefan laughed…"cosy."

"Well I'm driving" he demanded

Melissa stopped in her tracks…she looked slightly upward, startled, as though she were listening for the quietist sound…her eyes glowed blue…"Uh oh" stated Damon sarcastically, looking around for the inevitable horror that he was sure was about to befall them.

"RUN!..." screamed Melissa


	10. Chapter 10

**I can't go on brother**

Stefan's movements were swift and purposeful, he moved towards Caroline, shielding her with his body and moving with her to cover. Melissa grabbed hold of Blake and spun with her taking her momentarily out of the current time and space of their reality and placing her safely out of harm's way. Tom was trying to ascertain what the threat was whilst moving towards a nearby structure and Damon was actively seeking the potential attackers. Stefan screamed for him to take cover but Damon was thinking he had endured quite enough of this crap and was going to confront and destroy the menace, if indeed there even was one.

No sooner had that thought entered his mind than he was struck with a debilitating pain; he was thrown to the floor with a speed and power that would easily have killed a mortal man outright. He yelled so loudly Stefan's first reaction was to rush back to help him. Caroline circled around and Tom took cover.

Stefan reached Damon who had been hit with a crossbow arrow through his chest. Stefan gripped the arrow to pull it clear and as he did so a second arrow grazed his cheek and embedded itself into a nearby headstone. As he turned his head to look at the arrow he could instantly see that something was leaking out from the shaft. An unusual grainy looking metallic fluid oozed and dripped to the floor, Stefan's face became enraged and the veins of vampirism were prominent and his eyes bloodshot red. As his lip curled upward to reveal his now protruding fangs he sought the enemy at which he could lash out to release his anger but could see none. It appeared that their stealth mode was far better at this point than the group that opposed Silas.

Stefan pulled Damon away from his exposed position and tried to get him to a safer location. As he scouted the terrain and viewable area he could see movement at a distance of about 500 metres. He shouted to the others to make their way to the mausoleum where Tom had taken refuge. As Stefan dragged Damon over there he continually screamed out in pain…this was unusual, Damon had been shot and impaled by various things over the course of his life, not being the most popular person at a party, and he had never before reacted so strongly.

As Tom dared to break cover and make his way in to the mausoleum, as Caroline had since arrived and taken care of the locked doors, a third arrow was heard making its way to him. Caroline was tracking its path and about to move to intercept it when Melissa appeared, as if from thin air and diverted the path of the arrow without even having to touch it.

Caroline took this opportunity to move towards Stefan and help to bring Damon safely in. She seized his free arm that was trailing on the ground and with one final push between them they were able to reach the relative sanctuary of the burial chamber.

Melissa turned to Tom and asked if he was ok, scanning him with her eyes to check as he answered. She then turned and faced the open door, with a deep breath in, a raising and a thrusting forward of her arms, the entire building was surrounded by a glowing gold/yellow hazy field that although could be seen through looked impenetrable and offered an immediate sense of protection. "Wait here" instructed Melissa, and as she moved forward she vanished like a spectre in a mist. A few seconds later multiple screams were heard outside, disturbing squelching and tearing sounds were also intermingled with the screams and then within moments there was silence.

Melissa re-appeared as magnificently as she had disappeared and came directly to where Damon was still writhing in agony. The look on Stefan's face said more than any words could ever convey and as he moved his hand once again towards the arrow shaft with the intention of removing it, Melissa said alarmingly "STOP!"

Stefan's hand froze in place and from her look and tone he determined that something was clearly different about this arrow and so with his vampire eyes he looked more closely, within the ooze he could see the tiniest particles of wood and knew instantly what that meant for Damon.

"What the hell?" he said frantically, looking at the others for just an instant, hoping for an easy solution. "What is this?"

"Do you have any open wounds Stefan? When you touched the arrow before, did any of that goo get on you? Do you feel ok?"

"No…no I didn't get any on me, I'm fine."

Damon continues to scream and Stefan becomes more agitated and frantic. "What are we going to do? That stuff's coursing through him…IT'S KILLING HIM." He moves to take Damon's hand and Damon reaches up with his to receive the comfort that Stefan is offering. "No Stefan, you have to stay away…you and Caroline, we can't risk it getting into you too." Damon becomes more alarmed as he realises it's not something they can just get out and with every passing second he becomes weaker. He soon begins to pass into unconsciousness.

"Damon!" screams Stefan… "Stay with me brother, don't you go to sleep".

Damon attempts a smile but even that is too much as he desperately tries to hold on.

Tom rushes over and places a hand on to Damon's chest, his thumb and forefinger at either side of the arrow shaft. He pushes down hard and with the other hand pulls the arrow out of Damon's chest. He throws it to the corner of the room and applies some pressure to the open wound. Damon barely lets out a grunt…he is slipping away.

His eyes flicker open for a moment and he sees Stefan's face, Tom looks at Melissa and shakes his head signalling that Damon is running out of time. "Stefan" Damon mutters in an almost whisper. "No, it's Tom Damon, Stefan's here". He moves away making room for Stefan to crouch beside his brother and share whatever time he has left. Stefan shakes Damon violently, not accepting that this is how he will meet his end. "Damon…you listen to me, wake up! You gonna let this beat you? You giving up? Huh?" Damon musters a few words in his brief moments of lucidity "I can't go on brother"...

Stefan's look changes from one of sadness and despair to one of anger as he looks around at Melissa and shouts "Do something…please."

Melissa can see that if Damon dies the fight is lost; Stefan won't be able to go on with the strength needed to face Silas. It is in this moment that she can clearly see how one gives the other a strength that couldn't be gained any other way and she is in awe of it.

She approaches the two of them and takes Damon's hand. She advises Stefan to move away slightly and warns them both that there is no pain free way to remove the wooden particles. They are spread throughout Damon's body and all have to come out. Stefan nods, giving permission for her to continue…Damon is suddenly and shockingly revived from his deathly slumber, his piercing screams forcing the others to wince and agonise along with him. Caroline grips Stefan's hand and they all intently watch Damon as he becomes rigid and blood-soaked as his blood is drawn through his body along with the wooden particles as they leave him.

Once it's over Stefan and Caroline rush to Damon's side to see if he's ok. His eyes open and he attempts to speak, in a croaky gruff voice he says "Tom?" Stefan looks down at him and with a half-smile replies sarcastically "funny…" as he removes his shirt and starts wiping away some of the blood from Damon's face.

With everyone now recovering from this surprise attack and having regained a level of composure, Damon looks around; from the shadows Blake appears and startles him… "Is there a door back there? Because if there's no door… something really freaky is going on." He tries to get to his feet, slightly embarrassed at what the others just witnessed but in his much weakened state he simply slides back down the wall he was propped against. "I'm actually just gonna wait here" he says motioning to the others to go about their business, "until one of you…um….helps me". As they all look at him, looking at them, his expression becomes one that expresses confusion at what they are staring at. "What?!" he demands…"Is there something on my face?"

"Damon…" Stefan says, "Your eyes. They're kinda glowing"


	11. Chapter 11

**I can't go on brother**

Stefan's movements were swift and purposeful, he moved towards Caroline, shielding her with his body and moving with her to cover. Melissa grabbed hold of Blake and spun with her taking her momentarily out of the current time and space of their reality and placing her safely out of harm's way. Tom was trying to ascertain what the threat was whilst moving towards a nearby structure and Damon was actively seeking the potential attackers. Stefan screamed for him to take cover but Damon was thinking he had endured quite enough of this crap and was going to confront and destroy the menace, if indeed there even was one.

No sooner had that thought entered his mind than he was struck with a debilitating pain; he was thrown to the floor with a speed and power that would easily have killed a mortal man outright. He yelled so loudly Stefan's first reaction was to rush back to help him. Caroline circled around and Tom took cover.

Stefan reached Damon who had been hit with a crossbow arrow through his chest. Stefan gripped the arrow to pull it clear and as he did so a second arrow grazed his cheek and embedded itself into a nearby headstone. As he turned his head to look at the arrow he could instantly see that something was leaking out from the shaft. An unusual grainy looking metallic fluid oozed and dripped to the floor, Stefan's face became enraged and the veins of vampirism were prominent and his eyes bloodshot red. As his lip curled upward to reveal his now protruding fangs he sought the enemy at which he could lash out to release his anger but could see none. It appeared that their stealth mode was far better at this point than the group that opposed Silas.

Stefan pulled Damon away from his exposed position and tried to get him to a safer location. As he scouted the terrain and viewable area he could see movement at a distance of about 500 metres. He shouted to the others to make their way to the mausoleum where Tom had taken refuge. As Stefan dragged Damon over there he continually screamed out in pain…this was unusual, Damon had been shot and impaled by various things over the course of his life, not being the most popular person at a party, and he had never before reacted so strongly.

As Tom dared to break cover and make his way in to the mausoleum, as Caroline had since arrived and taken care of the locked doors, a third arrow was heard making its way to him. Caroline was tracking its path and about to move to intercept it when Melissa appeared, as if from thin air and diverted the path of the arrow without even having to touch it.

Caroline took this opportunity to move towards Stefan and help to bring Damon safely in. She seized his free arm that was trailing on the ground and with one final push between them they were able to reach the relative sanctuary of the burial chamber.

Melissa turned to Tom and asked if he was ok, scanning him with her eyes to check as he answered. She then turned and faced the open door, with a deep breath in, a raising and a thrusting forward of her arms, the entire building was surrounded by a glowing gold/yellow hazy field that although could be seen through looked impenetrable and offered an immediate sense of protection. "Wait here" instructed Melissa, and as she moved forward she vanished like a spectre in a mist. A few seconds later multiple screams were heard outside, disturbing squelching and tearing sounds were also intermingled with the screams and then within moments there was silence.

Melissa re-appeared as magnificently as she had disappeared and came directly to where Damon was still writhing in agony. The look on Stefan's face said more than any words could ever convey and as he moved his hand once again towards the arrow shaft with the intention of removing it, Melissa said alarmingly "STOP!"

Stefan's hand froze in place and from her look and tone he determined that something was clearly different about this arrow and so with his vampire eyes he looked more closely, within the ooze he could see the tiniest particles of wood and knew instantly what that meant for Damon.

"What the hell?" he said frantically, looking at the others for just an instant, hoping for an easy solution. "What is this?"

"Do you have any open wounds Stefan? When you touched the arrow before, did any of that goo get on you? Do you feel ok?"

"No…no I didn't get any on me, I'm fine."

Damon continues to scream and Stefan becomes more agitated and frantic. "What are we going to do? That stuff's coursing through him…IT'S KILLING HIM." He moves to take Damon's hand and Damon reaches up with his to receive the comfort that Stefan is offering. "No Stefan, you have to stay away…you and Caroline, we can't risk it getting into you too." Damon becomes more alarmed as he realises it's not something they can just get out and with every passing second he becomes weaker. He soon begins to pass into unconsciousness.

"Damon!" screams Stefan… "Stay with me brother, don't you go to sleep".

Damon attempts a smile but even that is too much as he desperately tries to hold on.

Tom rushes over and places a hand on to Damon's chest, his thumb and forefinger at either side of the arrow shaft. He pushes down hard and with the other hand pulls the arrow out of Damon's chest. He throws it to the corner of the room and applies some pressure to the open wound. Damon barely lets out a grunt…he is slipping away.

His eyes flicker open for a moment and he sees Stefan's face, Tom looks at Melissa and shakes his head signalling that Damon is running out of time. "Stefan" Damon mutters in an almost whisper. "No, it's Tom Damon, Stefan's here". He moves away making room for Stefan to crouch beside his brother and share whatever time he has left. Stefan shakes Damon violently, not accepting that this is how he will meet his end. "Damon…you listen to me, wake up! You gonna let this beat you? You giving up? Huh?" Damon musters a few words in his brief moments of lucidity "I can't go on brother"...

Stefan's look changes from one of sadness and despair to one of anger as he looks around at Melissa and shouts "Do something…please."

Melissa can see that if Damon dies the fight is lost; Stefan won't be able to go on with the strength needed to face Silas. It is in this moment that she can clearly see how one gives the other a strength that couldn't be gained any other way and she is in awe of it.

She approaches the two of them and takes Damon's hand. She advises Stefan to move away slightly and warns them both that there is no pain free way to remove the wooden particles. They are spread throughout Damon's body and all have to come out. Stefan nods, giving permission for her to continue…Damon is suddenly and shockingly revived from his deathly slumber, his piercing screams forcing the others to wince and agonise along with him. Caroline grips Stefan's hand and they all intently watch Damon as he becomes rigid and blood-soaked as his blood is drawn through his body along with the wooden particles as they leave him.

Once it's over Stefan and Caroline rush to Damon's side to see if he's ok. His eyes open and he attempts to speak, in a croaky gruff voice he says "Tom?" Stefan looks down at him and with a half-smile replies sarcastically "funny…" as he removes his shirt and starts wiping away some of the blood from Damon's face.

With everyone now recovering from this surprise attack and having regained a level of composure, Damon looks around; from the shadows Blake appears and startles him… "Is there a door back there? Because if there's no door… something really freaky is going on." He tries to get to his feet, slightly embarrassed at what the others just witnessed but in his much weakened state he simply slides back down the wall he was propped against. "I'm actually just gonna wait here" he says motioning to the others to go about their business, "until one of you…um….helps me". As they all look at him, looking at them, his expression becomes one that expresses confusion at what they are staring at. "What?!" he demands…"Is there something on my face?"

"Damon…" Stefan says, "Your eyes. They're kinda glowing"


	12. Chapter 12

**Moving on…**

"They're glowing? What do you mean they're glowing?" Damon searched for a reflective surface or something in which he could see his reflection, settling for the screen of his phone…"oh…yes they are" whipping his head round towards Melissa he curiously asks "What does this mean?"

"Relax Damon, it's very temporary…it's just a side effect of what I did to help you"

"I need some fresh clothes…look at me! I look like I was just raised from the dead"…he pauses for a moment and then continues, "Oh… right, and Melissa… I have something to say to you" he starts to make his way closer to her and both Stefan and Tom manoeuvre to intercept. They look at each other momentarily recognizing the awkwardness and uncanny behaviour they seem to share and Damon slows his advance giving them both a look of 'What the hell?' and they realise their mistake. Stefan speaks up and states "we thought you were angry or under the influence of…well the eyes, or whatever is making them glow…he looks away from Damon for a moment and checks out the looks on everyone else's faces…as he scans from one to the next he slowly says …"sorry". No one seems to know quite what the right response is under these circumstances and so they opt for silence.

"Hmmm…as I was saying Melissa, that's twice you've saved me now, a man might get the wrong idea". He half smiled his charming smirk that could melt hearts or spell the end of someone. Melissa stared blankly at him; they held their gaze upon one another for a few seconds until Damon finished with a heartfelt "thank you". Melissa's mouth gave the slightest hint of a smile as she nodded her head acknowledging his gesture.

"We need to move again soon, I'm very weak right now, and if we're attacked again I won't be able to help anyone".

"Let's just get going now" says Caroline "we're too exposed here, we need a safe house, somewhere we can defend and somewhere that gives us time to rest".

"Ok then", said Damon, "Where shall we go? Home? I'd like to go home".

They all just turned and started to make their way to the door as if accepting Damon's suggestion as an order, no discussion, no debate, just obedience and compliance. Caroline and Stefan were the first to leave followed by Melissa and then Tom, Damon looked over at Blake, who hadn't moved from the spot at which she had re-entered their world. Her eyes were wide, her mouth closed and her breathing a little rapid, she remained quite still, frozen in place, only moving her head to follow Damon's movements. "You must be the delightful Blake", Damon said smiling and taking her hand, "You're gonna wanna come with us… I'm sure you have questions and they will all be answered when we get home".

Understandably, Blake was reluctant to move or go anywhere and Damon didn't have the time or energy to convince her so he resorted to the ever reliable persuasion of compulsion. Looking in her eyes and concentrating for a second he was a little surprised when she instantly complied with his wishes and followed the others out. For a moment Damon was the one left behind, standing there wondering what had just happened because he hadn't uttered a word, he had just thought about it. He took his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen again…'yep…still glowing' he thought to himself as he left the building and caught up with the others.

Once back at the house they made themselves comfortable, washed and changed as appropriate and everyone grabbed something to eat and drink. It was almost as if things were as they once were, simple, unencumbered and safe. "This is far more complicated than I first imagined it would be" said Melissa, engaging the group in a meeting about their next and subsequent moves. "This is far more than any of us were expecting I can assure you" replied Stefan in a semi sarcastic way. "What are we going to do? Everywhere we go, Silas' people turn up… we barely got away last time, and Damon almost died. Is he somehow still linked to one of us? How are we ever going to get the upper hand here, we're always two steps behind."

"Relax brother, I've got the mojo going on now" he slides down a pair of sunglasses he has been wearing to reveal his glowing eyes. Stefan's concerned look turns to one of disappointment as he looks at Damon and says "We don't have that either anymore, your eyes just went out". "What?!" Damon almost squealed as he raced to the mirror, "Damn" he sighed, I was starting to really rock that look. As he stood there admiring his reflection his eyes popped back to blue, "Hey, what do ya know? Huh…Stefan…look."

Stefan looked at Damon and then at Melissa… "What is going on with him?"

"For a short amount of time Damon has some influence over things much as a Chanul would, a diluted effect if you like as a result of the bond I formed to rid him of the wood poison that almost claimed his life. I honestly don't know how long its effect will last or to what extent. This is all new ground for me too."

"Damon", Stefan asks, "Do you feel ok?" "I feel great actually…re-charged" he responds flippantly.

"Well be cautious" Melissa warns, "It could all end quite suddenly, so don't take any unnecessary risks."

Damon pours himself a scotch and flops down on the couch next to Blake.

Melissa instructs everyone to remain inside the house and informs them that she is going to check the grounds. If it's all clear then she will shield the immediate area from anyone seeking to find them, giving the illusion of the property being abandoned even though they will be there, essentially making them invisible to outsiders in much the same way the Chanul stay undetected.

Caroline is extremely relieved to hear this, she hadn't realised the tension it was causing, but she realised she needed a break from it, some time to gather her thoughts and reflect on what had and is happening, some time to draw breath.

She happily made her way upstairs and fell onto the bed, letting out a big sigh as she did so. Stefan followed her, lying alongside, taking her in his arms and pulling her close. She eagerly gripped his arm and held it tight to her chest, her face resting gently on his hand. This is how Caroline liked to re-charge and Stefan took delight in offering her this comfort.

With Melissa now back in the house and the grounds secured everyone could take a moment to relax. Tom and Melissa were snuggling in a large armchair and Blake remained on the couch. No one had really noticed that there didn't seem to be a lot going on with her until Stefan and Caroline came back downstairs several hours later. Stefan asked Damon if Blake had eaten anything or had a drink but Damon was too busy checking out his reflection every few minutes to see if his eyes were glowing or not to really have noticed and he half-heartedly said "Uh….um…I don't know…I think so …yeah. Ask her dude."

"She looks spaced out…Blake? Can you hear me? Is she compelled? Damon….did you compel her? What did you say to her?"

Holding his hands up he said "whoa…I didn't say anything to her…I swear." He can see Stefan's confusion and so decides to be a little more forthcoming, "I didn't have to say anything…I just thought it…and well…she complied, I didn't know it was going to last this long."

"Well un-think it Damon" "OK, I am unthinking it now"

Blake slowly came out of her dazed state and looked around at the others; she remembered most of what had happened immediately following her resurrection but not the mausoleum or who these people were. Melissa helped her understand what had happened and Caroline and Stefan remained in the background for now.

Tom suggested they come up with a plan, preferably one that involves more subtlety and defensive moves rather than offensive. Damon moved closer to Blake, feeling an unlikely attraction to her and sitting closer he smiled at her and was about to attempt some pleasant small talk when she looked him in the eye and said "There's something about you… something I don't like." Suddenly realising that what she said was quite rude and unpleasant, she apologised. "I'm so sorry; I don't know why I said that." Damon pursed his lips and nodding slowly he simply said "OK, don't worry about it" he then smiled awkwardly and continued "so… moving on…let's hear Tom's plan.


	13. Chapter 13

**Close…**

Moving away from Blake but keeping a sly eye on her Damon settled for a leaning position against a small bannister that gave him easy access to the alcohol. Following his statement Tom felt obligated to have something more to say other than they need to have a plan and so hurriedly tried to come up with something that wouldn't make him look like the least useful person there. "well…Damon, I don't exactly have a workable plan yet but I do know that whatever it is we must all keep a very low profile…right now we're safe here, for how long we don't know and it seems to me as if we're running out of time."

As though deep in thought and looking right at Tom Damon asks "You got any suggestions?"

"As a matter of fact I do…. We still need four people to fight Silas, Katherine, Elena, Tatia and Amura, they are all in or around Mystic Falls, so no travelling, Damon still has some Chanul power running through him so maybe he can get one of them while Melissa does another….that will cut the time in half."

"What if his power ends half way through the ritual Tom? Then it's lights out for him and whoever's with him…the fight would end right then and there, for everyone…NO…that's too risky" says an alarmed Stefan because he can see the look in Damon's eye and he knows it spells trouble. "I didn't think we would make it this far, but we have… and I do have this awesome power Stefan…we need to do something." "How the hell is this defensive and not offensive Tom? Interrupts Stefan. "It just came to me ok…I thought out of everything this might be our best play." "Maybe it is for you because you won't be there will you?" "Look Stefan, we all have the same to lose at the end of the day…we all want to keep the one's we love safe…but to do that this time we are going to have to risk it all. All of us… I was dead…so was Blake, we're here to fight for our lives and to have a future, I will do everything I can to make sure we all have one."

"Um… I don't have anyone… so I guess I'm in it just for me." Pipes Blake

"Oooh….the little mouse speaks."

Damon heads over to her and initiates conversation… staring at her trying to decide exactly who she is he begins with,

"Not true…you have us, we'll look after you. With a face like that you won't get hurt while Stefan's around."

"Great"

"You seem to be handling all this… 'Supernatural stuff' rather well for someone who had no clue and a short while ago was dead."

Blake smiles and replies "Well, it's not really happening is it? So I don't have to handle much…just waiting for it to be over."

"It's not happening? Oh thank God…I thought we were in trouble. So…what exactly is happening Blake?"

"Four possibilities…"

"Ok…go on"

One, I'm crazy…sitting in a nut house somewhere thinking I'm here, Two, I took some evil drugs that I'm tripping out on, Three, I fell through a hole in space and time and I'm in some weird alternate reality…and Four, this is real, which means I am either dead and in hell or I'm crazy and on drugs and in an alternate reality…none of the possibilities is good."

Damon Chuckles and Blake looks at him disapprovingly, he takes her hand and says softly…"I get it, I really do, but this is real, there are monsters out there but there are also good people and not all the monsters are bad…all of the time. We WILL look after you and when we kick Silas' butt we will all have a great life to look forward to."

Sensing that his kind and encouraging words didn't quite cut it he turned to Melissa and asked "Hey Melissa! You haven't pulled anything out of your pocket of magic for a while…you got anything in there for a 'cuckoo for cocoa puffs' kind of moment?"

"Yes Damon I do"….she squeezed in between Damon and Blake and removing something from her pocket she placed it in Blake's hand, folding her fingers around it as she did so and with Damon doing his best to get a look at it. "Hold tightly to this, it has a strong energy that will protect you and help you to understand… you'll be ok."

Blake seemed calmer almost straight away and grasped the object like her life did literally depend on it. As Melissa moved away again Damon said "Was that more of that bullshit magic or the real thing?" Melissa smiled as she threw him a fleeting look…

"Ok everyone… I think we may have to split up the next time; Tom might be on to something with his suggestion. Stefan, I know what your concerns are and why you have them but I would make sure we all had the best chance of success before we did anything."

"Whatever we do, I'm with Damon and Caroline." Caroline squeezed his arm and Damon looked chuffed to have been picked…

Melissa looked at them and the sense of awe could be felt around the room. Stefan picked up on it straight away and wanted to know what it was for, why was she looking at them this way, it wasn't the first time he had caught her doing it. "What?" he said quietly and inquisitively, "You two have no idea do you? That's kind of sweet all on its own…" Stefan looked puzzled and Damon was showing an interest…"Your bond…your brotherly bond, the thing that drives you and others crazy…no matter what either of you does, it's never enough to drive the other away…and it never will be. It's not natural and I think you both know that no normal siblings would be so bound to one another, especially over centuries."

Damon looked over at Stefan with a slightly startled and look of increasing fear on his face as though he knew Melissa was about to reveal something, perhaps the only thing, that would make Stefan finally leave him…abandon him to 'forever' alone. "It's ok brother…we share a bond as strong as ours because we love each other and would do anything for each other, nothing will change that. Let's concentrate on our next steps…what can we do?"

"With four people still to 'resurrect' we must take two each, you, Damon, Caroline and Blake will go for Elena first. Because she's only sleeping there will be enough of you to bring her back and then with her you can get Amura from the tomb. Tom and I will go for Katherine and Tatia…but we can't do anything until we reconnect with Bonnie. We need to find her and once she is back here we can finalise our plans. Trust me…"

Damon looked as though he had only just realised that Elena would be coming back. Stefan noticed and approached him grasping his wrist as he drew in close and turning him away from the others for a private chat, fearing that he would lose control over the prospect of having her again.

"Damon…what's up?"

"Elena"

"She'll be back with us soon enough brother…I thought you'd be happy."

Damon looked at Stefan with tears in his eyes, "I didn't dare hope it was really true…I didn't think we'd survive this long… but we have."

"Yes we have…and you'll be together again soon."

Stefan knew something more was going on with Damon and he pushed him to tell him what it was.

"I couldn't help her Stefan…I left her there, I moved on with my life… how will I explain that?"

Stefan took hold of Damon, his hands on Damon's arms and facing him he spoke quietly and in a way that the brothers had come to recognise as 'this is the gospel and you will see it as and know it as the absolute truth "She loves you and she knows that if there had been a way you would have found it…no doubt in her mind…and what's more, you will be the one that brings her back, it'll be your face there to welcome her home."

Damon looked up at Stefan and quickly nodded his head in acceptance as words were not quite possible at this time. Stefan slapped his arm and moved back to Caroline to give him some space.

"Who's Bonnie?!"

They all turned and looked at Blake.


	14. Chapter 14

" **Awaken… sleeping beauty"**

"Blake we'll try and fill you in as much as possible, but for now you'll just have to trust us when we say that Bonnie is a friend." Explained Stefan, and turning to Melissa he asked her how she expected to find Bonnie when they couldn't really leave the house. "Blake can do it… she has no supernatural powers and so can't be tracked that way…she's a doppelganger yes, but we can alter her appearance long enough to hopefully track Bonnie down.

"W..Wh…What? … me? I don't even know Bonnie, Nooooo…I can't do it, there's stuff happenin here that I can't even explain and I don't even know what's really real…and why do I keep saying 'even'?" Blake looked around at everyone now looking at her and fear filled her face.

"Give her a shiny black rock Melissa" said Damon nodding his head and giving a wink that expressed sarcasm in the confidence of her plan. "Blake…it's ok, take my hand and let me explain what's happening here." Blake tentatively approached Melissa who very quickly calmed her nerves without uttering a single word. Damon looked over at her and said solemnly "The force is strong in this one" which brought a smile to Stefan's face because he knew while Damon was joking around he was holding it together about Elena.

Melissa handed Blake a black gem stone, "this will help guide you to Bonnie"

"Are you kidding me with the pebbles?"

"When you find her, put the two stones together…this will keep you safe until you return to us"

Caroline approached the two girls "So…once Bonnie is back we can move forward and get this over with?"

"Yes Caroline, I know this has been hard on all of you but it's the only way to stop Silas, otherwise he would just keep coming…until you, Stefan and Elena are dead…and now Tom and Blake are added to that list…again." With a quick scan of everyone, Melissa asked "If there are no more questions I suggest we locate Bonnie and find out if she has secured any help."

"I have a question" remarked Blake…"Is this the twilight zone?!"

"I don't know what you mean" replied Melissa

"I've got this one!" retorted Damon as he trotted excitedly over to Blake…"Yes, this is the twilight zone and you are assigned the task of going outside wearing a magical disguise, carrying a mystical marble to find someone you have never met and who is being hunted by a psychotic witch/vampire hybrid." He silently stood there, watching her expression for the realisation that she aint ever coming back… instead she slowly nodded her head and eventually said "Ohhh Kayy".

Damon raised his eyebrows and pulled a face, cocking his head slightly to one side and said "well I didn't see that coming."

Blake headed out and the others took the opportunity to chill out and relax with each other while they contemplated what was coming over the next few days.

Caroline checked on Damon to see how he was holding up and Stefan watched from across the room, drinking in every movement and gesture she made, in awe of her selflessness and filled with a love that never waned or questioned. He stole a precious moment that to anyone else would have appeared so ordinary it would have been entirely overlooked.

Melissa and Tom spent some much needed time in each other's arms and Damon remembered all the times he was with Elena, the love that grew between them and the promises they made to one another…how her skin felt against his, the taste of her lips…the joy she brought to his life. He caught himself smiling at the thought of her and for a moment his heart was not only filled with sorrow at her absence but was allowing hope to find a place…hope that they would soon be reunited and never again parted. He went to get some more blood, he was healing well but wanted to be fully recovered for the coming fight, he couldn't risk being a liability with what was at stake and the thoughts of Elena, that he had denied himself for so long, had fuelled his desire to face any adversary and to do whatever was necessary to wake his love…his sleeping beauty.

Meanwhile…Blake headed in to town, drawn there by instinct given to her through magical means to detect that which is sought, in this case Bonnie… she nervously walked from place to place eying people as they passed, scanning them for any indication that they were not as they seemed. Her heart rate was elevated and it was becoming increasingly obvious that something was wrong with her. As her panic began to peak a soft and gentle voice in her head reminded her that she was not alone and this was enough of a comfort for her to calm down and carry on. Her heightened state of anxiety made it easy for Melissa to reach her but if she didn't find Bonnie soon the magical glimmer that hid her true face from the world would fail and she would be exposed.

Before she knew it she was on the edge of town and heading for a more industrialised area where she could see a few empty units…warehouses she thought, she also hoped she didn't have to go in any as they looked quite derelict and unsafe…and dark. There didn't seem to be anyone around and Blake was not reassured by this but alarmed… 'Where is everybody?' she thought… 'Surely there should be someone here'. Against her better judgment she proceeded and entered the building with the strongest 'pull', she tried to go as quietly as possible but felt she was being watched the entire time.

There was some heavy machinery in this place and a lot of ground to cover…she had no light source with her and so she stayed as close to the few windows as she could but frequently stumbled and made noise that she wished she hadn't. "Oh my God, if anyone is here I'm dead for sure" she found herself saying out loud to herself… 'Blake…let me help you' she heard in her head… "and now I've gone crazy" she said in panic. Suddenly, the strangest thing happened to Blake and she no longer needed the windows that offered little to no assistance with finding her way. Her eyes changed and she could see quite well, as though a light had been turned on to everything…it was different though, things weren't quite normal but she could navigate very well and could at least relax a little. "Thank you" she whispered…to whom she wasn't quite sure.


	15. Chapter 15

" **Awaken… sleeping beauty"**

"Blake we'll try and fill you in as much as possible, but for now you'll just have to trust us when we say that Bonnie is a friend." Explained Stefan, and turning to Melissa he asked her how she expected to find Bonnie when they couldn't really leave the house. "Blake can do it… she has no supernatural powers and so can't be tracked that way…she's a doppelganger yes, but we can alter her appearance long enough to hopefully track Bonnie down.

"W..Wh…What? … me? I don't even know Bonnie, Nooooo…I can't do it, there's stuff happenin here that I can't even explain and I don't even know what's really real…and why do I keep saying 'even'?" Blake looked around at everyone now looking at her and fear filled her face.

"Give her a shiny black rock Melissa" said Damon nodding his head and giving a wink that expressed sarcasm in the confidence of her plan. "Blake…it's ok, take my hand and let me explain what's happening here." Blake tentatively approached Melissa who very quickly calmed her nerves without uttering a single word. Damon looked over at her and said solemnly "The force is strong in this one" which brought a smile to Stefan's face because he knew while Damon was joking around he was holding it together about Elena.

Melissa handed Blake a black gem stone, "this will help guide you to Bonnie"

"Are you kidding me with the pebbles?"

"When you find her, put the two stones together…this will keep you safe until you return to us"

Caroline approached the two girls "So…once Bonnie is back we can move forward and get this over with?"

"Yes Caroline, I know this has been hard on all of you but it's the only way to stop Silas, otherwise he would just keep coming…until you, Stefan and Elena are dead…and now Tom and Blake are added to that list…again." With a quick scan of everyone, Melissa asked "If there are no more questions I suggest we locate Bonnie and find out if she has secured any help."

"I have a question" remarked Blake…"Is this the twilight zone?!"

"I don't know what you mean" replied Melissa

"I've got this one!" retorted Damon as he trotted excitedly over to Blake…"Yes, this is the twilight zone and you are assigned the task of going outside wearing a magical disguise, carrying a mystical marble to find someone you have never met and who is being hunted by a psychotic witch/vampire hybrid." He silently stood there, watching her expression for the realisation that she aint ever coming back… instead she slowly nodded her head and eventually said "Ohhh Kayy".

Damon raised his eyebrows and pulled a face, cocking his head slightly to one side and said "well I didn't see that coming."

Blake headed out and the others took the opportunity to chill out and relax with each other while they contemplated what was coming over the next few days.

Caroline checked on Damon to see how he was holding up and Stefan watched from across the room, drinking in every movement and gesture she made, in awe of her selflessness and filled with a love that never waned or questioned. He stole a precious moment that to anyone else would have appeared so ordinary it would have been entirely overlooked.

Melissa and Tom spent some much needed time in each other's arms and Damon remembered all the times he was with Elena, the love that grew between them and the promises they made to one another…how her skin felt against his, the taste of her lips…the joy she brought to his life. He caught himself smiling at the thought of her and for a moment his heart was not only filled with sorrow at her absence but was allowing hope to find a place…hope that they would soon be reunited and never again parted. He went to get some more blood, he was healing well but wanted to be fully recovered for the coming fight, he couldn't risk being a liability with what was at stake and the thoughts of Elena, that he had denied himself for so long, had fuelled his desire to face any adversary and to do whatever was necessary to wake his love…his sleeping beauty.

Meanwhile…Blake headed in to town, drawn there by instinct given to her through magical means to detect that which is sought, in this case Bonnie… she nervously walked from place to place eying people as they passed, scanning them for any indication that they were not as they seemed. Her heart rate was elevated and it was becoming increasingly obvious that something was wrong with her. As her panic began to peak a soft and gentle voice in her head reminded her that she was not alone and this was enough of a comfort for her to calm down and carry on. Her heightened state of anxiety made it easy for Melissa to reach her but if she didn't find Bonnie soon the magical glimmer that hid her true face from the world would fail and she would be exposed.

Before she knew it she was on the edge of town and heading for a more industrialised area where she could see a few empty units…warehouses she thought, she also hoped she didn't have to go in any as they looked quite derelict and unsafe…and dark. There didn't seem to be anyone around and Blake was not reassured by this but alarmed… 'Where is everybody?' she thought… 'Surely there should be someone here'. Against her better judgment she proceeded and entered the building with the strongest 'pull', she tried to go as quietly as possible but felt she was being watched the entire time.

There was some heavy machinery in this place and a lot of ground to cover…she had no light source with her and so she stayed as close to the few windows as she could but frequently stumbled and made noise that she wished she hadn't. "Oh my God, if anyone is here I'm dead for sure" she found herself saying out loud to herself… 'Blake…let me help you' she heard in her head… "and now I've gone crazy" she said in panic. Suddenly, the strangest thing happened to Blake and she no longer needed the windows that offered little to no assistance with finding her way. Her eyes changed and she could see quite well, as though a light had been turned on to everything…it was different though, things weren't quite normal but she could navigate very well and could at least relax a little. "Thank you" she whispered…to whom she wasn't quite sure.


	16. Chapter 16

**Not on my watch…**

Stefan made a play for the door to follow Damon but found it impenetrable; the shield that Melissa had placed around them to keep people out was now keeping them in. He turned to her for an explanation and was ready to act, Caroline, realising what had happened joined Stefan and both adopted a predatory stance and were preparing to defend or attack. "Wait!" Yelled Tom, "what's going on here?"

"Damon's rushing off as usual, without thinking…placing everyone in danger" said Melissa

"No, you are …lower the shield and let us out…NOW!" demanded Stefan

"Try and think logically Stefan…about everything that has ever happened between you and Damon, how he always puts you and those you love at risk, he always has and you always back him, ever wondered why?"

"I know why…he's my brother, now let me out" "It's more than that…it was meant to keep you together, so you would always have someone as the centuries passed but it makes you irrational and you need to stop and think."

Stefan tries to break through the force field with furniture and then through sheer will but he can't penetrate the magic. "Melissa! What are you doing? You can't keep us here…Damon needs us, now more than ever. Let us out!" cries Caroline. Melissa is determined to make them see it her way and appears to have little compassion for Stefan's situation. Stefan and Caroline position themselves strategically to advance on her position with Bonnie aligning herself to them and Blake slowly backing away.

Tom takes Melissa's hand and squeezes it to alert her of the problem that she fails to see…she looks at him bewildered and he shows her through their connection what it is that she's missing in this scenario. It doesn't matter why…the emotion is there and it's stronger than ever. "You said yourself, we have to trust one another and work together or we will fail…you must let them out and help them help Damon" uttered Tom in a calm and stern half whisper. "I agree with Tom" Blake sheepishly mentions "I kinda like Damon…he's funny…and kind". "What?" says Melissa in disbelief "Kind?" she shakes her head…"Yes, kind…in this scary and awful experience that I can barely comprehend, one in which I have been utterly terrified and scared beyond belief, he found a moment to be kind and to comfort me…so I will risk everything to help him the same way and as much as I would for any of you".

"She doesn't know what she's talking about, she doesn't know what he is really like"…scoffed Melissa. "Actually…yes she does, she knows exactly what he is like and that is why I always back my brother…because I remember it too." states Stefan.

"Lissa, I know you think you know more than all of us and about almost everything you do my love, but human emotion, that's something you are new to and you have to believe me when I say, we have to go…amplified human emotion is beyond what most can control…these two do a pretty good job until one of them is threatened. Like it or not…we have to save Damon…again" explained Tom.

After a moment's pause, in which a million calculations seem to have taken place, with Melissa's eyes flitting this way and that, she agrees.

Stefan left the second he felt the shield come down and was followed a millisecond later by Caroline. Bonnie was incanting a spell so that she could see the others and know if Damon and Elena were still safe. Silas' men are almost to Elena, Damon isn't there yet…they're going to kill her…what can we do?" asked a panicked Bonnie. "I can link with Damon more strongly and help him get there…if he'll listen" sighed Melissa as she closed her eyes. "Can't you just go and help him yourself?" asked Blake.

"And leave the three of you vulnerable…NO" "Okay…just thought I'd ask" said Blake as she slowly backed away. Tom threw her a comforting smile to let her know it was ok to ask questions and that she was safe with them.

Damon had no idea what had transpired after he left the boarding house and so was quite receptive to Melissa's intrusion in to his mind…a second later he was at the Salvatore family tomb, standing next to his beloved's sleeping body. In a single moment he had explored every feature of her face as though he was seeing it for the first time, every contour, every perfect imperfection and he was in awe of her all over again.

His moment was rudely interrupted by a dull thud against the crypt door which shifted his attention from the beauty of his sleeping love towards the door. With one hand still resting gently on Elena's crossed hands that sat so carefully placed across her waist, he turned his body to face the direction of the intrusion. The door burst open in triumph and as men rushed forward to claim their victory they were brought to a sudden and unexpected halt when they saw Damon standing there. One man, not picking up on the not so subtle cues from Damon's confidence in the face of certain defeat, rushed forward with the aim of dispatching this vampire and gaining favour with his new master. He had not travelled more than a couple of feet when his very essence was disintegrated in full view of his companions. As what was left of him floated in to the ether the others tried to fathom a course of action that would not result in their own demise. In such close quarters as they found themselves within the tomb, there seemed little chance of that and so retreat seemed the most appealing option, however, Damon had other plans for them and without travelling far from his beloved's side he thwarted all plans of attack from his enemy by dismemberment, decapitation and complete annihilation.

Within minutes, Stefan and Caroline arrived…Damon was still in a heightened state brought on by the Chanul power and as they approached, Damon was in a defensive position in front of Elena. "Damon?" Stefan enquired tentatively "are you OK?" Stefan felt his skin start to burn and he grimaced in pain…"Damon!" he yelled "stop!" Damon did not appear to hear him and seemed lost behind the glowing blue eyes. Melissa could sense what was happening and she could feel Stefan's pain and fear, she attempted to connect again with Damon but he was blocking her so she reached out to Stefan instead and whispered that he must remind Damon of who he is and what they mean to each other. "BROTHER!" Stefan screamed…"brother, hear me…stop what you are doing; it's me Stefan…stop" the last word was barely audible as Stefan fell to his knees. Damon snapped out of his fugue state and rushed to help Stefan but was knocked back against the wall by Caroline who then took a defensive position in front of Stefan. "It's Ok Caroline, I'm Ok." "What the hell Damon? What were you doing? You almost killed him…" "I have no idea what just happened, Stefan…I'm sorry."

"It's ok" panted Stefan, as he got back to his feet. "So long as that doesn't happen again."

"I take it this is what's left of Silas' men? Is this all of them, doesn't seem that many." "Erm…there were a few more…but they left…and I suggest we do the same before Silas realises that we are here."

"Do you still have any juice left in you Damon? I mean we were going to use that to rouse Elena…remember?"

"I do…and I think I still can bring a little light in to her world." He smirked as usual as his eyes began to glow…"Damon? Do you have control?" asked Caroline cautiously. "I do…" and if I say that one more time I guess we're married so shall we just get on with it. Stefan and Caroline took up positions either side of Damon. They joined hands and Stefan placed his free hand on Elena's head while Caroline placed a hand on Elena's feet. Damon chanted the words that came naturally to him now and the power passed between the three of them and then through Elena…destroying the hold the spell had over her and releasing her from her slumber. Once Stefan felt movement from her he pulled away from Damon fearing that he might go too far and take energy from himself and Caroline that they could ill afford to lose. Once the connection with Damon was broken he returned to normal and anxiously waited for Elena to open her eyes.

Stefan offered a comforting hand on Damon's shoulder and told him everything would be alright, "she will wake up Damon…she'd fight her way out of hell to be with you again…just give her a minute" Damon stared intently at her face, grasping her hand…just waiting. "I could kiss her" he said sarcastically… "really? Ok…kiss her, what the hell…couldn't hurt." Caroline showed an expression of being unamused by this and wanted them out of there as soon as possible but one puppy dog look from Stefan and she was content to wait for as long as necessary. Damon leaned in for a kiss that would wake sleeping beauty but before he could press his lips against Elena's she awoke startled and threw Damon against the wall. "Will people please stop throwing me against the wall" he said as he dusted himself off getting to his feet. Elena sat up and looked around, at herself and then at them and then at where they were. Once she had her bearings she stared at Damon with a blank expression…he went to move towards her but then hesitated sensing that something might be wrong…this didn't seem like his Elena. For what seemed like an eternity there was silence, then slowly a quirky smile came upon Elena's face and she simply said "Hey."

Damon rushed in to her waiting arms and they embraced one another, so tenderly and so deeply that Caroline and Stefan felt they were watching something so intimate they should excuse themselves but time was not on their side and they had to get back to the house.

Damon finally pulled away from Elena and said "no time to explain…we're all in trouble, we need to go…I love you" "Oh…ok" gasped Elena as Damon pulled her from the slab she was laying on. "Damon? Is the trouble we're in something to do with why your eyes are glowing?" "Uh…yep, it's a weird and wild story…you're gonna love it."

They all whooshed out of there at vampire speed and headed back to the relative safety of the boarding house.

As they just disappeared out of sight, catching a glimpse of them, Silas stepped from the shadows and he was not pleased…not pleased at all.


	17. Chapter 17

**Three to go…**

Arriving back at the boarding house Damon could sense all was not as tranquil as he remembered leaving it…he looked at Melissa and Tom and then back at Stefan and Caroline…"What am I missing here? Did you all have a fight after I left? Was it about me?" He waited for a response but none was forthcoming and so he moved on…he didn't much care anyway, he gripped the hand of Elena as though fearful that to let it go would mean letting her go all over again and she didn't seem to be in a hurry to move away from him either. There was a great deal of comfort to be had from holding the hand of the one you love when you are at a loss as to what is going on around you. As Elena took stock of her surroundings and those present, Blake moved to the side and suddenly Bonnie's face came in to view, taking Elena by surprise. She didn't know what had happened back at the tomb but she had assumed Bonnie must have died if she was awake and to see her standing there, very much alive was overwhelming. For a moment it crossed her mind that she might be hallucinating, maybe it was a side effect of being asleep so long but she desperately wanted it to be true. She squeezed Damon's hand tight enough for him to notice and then realise what Elena must be thinking and so he reassuringly gripped her hand back and moved towards Bonnie. "It's ok" he whispered…"it's really her and she's fine". Elena beamed with happiness and rushed to embrace Bonnie.

Bonnie and Elena left the others for a moment to exchange stories and offer forgiveness for imagined slights inflicted on one another and then to laugh about how each of them had the same unnecessary fears that what had transpired in the past would permanently damage their friendship. They were both relieved and happy to realise that for each of them to have the other back, was a gift beyond imagining and they were both extremely grateful for it.

Damon caught Blake throwing him a smile that recognised how powerful his love for Elena was and how glad she was that he got back safely and surprised by this he reciprocated by acknowledging her affection with a smile of his own and a gentle nod of his head.

Melissa and Tom moved together towards Stefan, Caroline, Damon and Blake as Bonnie and Elena re-joined the group. Damon's eyes unexpectedly shone bright blue once again and he seemed to be listening to a distant sound as he tilted his head as though trying to adjust for poor sound quality. He was distracted and distant for a moment as Elena moved close. Melissa offered a startled warning to Elena to stop. As Elena didn't know anything about Melissa she was not inclined to listen to anything she had to say regarding Damon but she was very concerned about what was happening to him. She did not heed Melissa's warning and continued to approach at an increasing pace towards Damon. Melissa caused Elena to stop abruptly by entering her mind and taking control…her sudden shift in equilibrium was detected by Damon and he responded instantaneously by breaking that mental connection with HIS mind. Melissa was a little taken aback by the level of power and control he had exerted over her but at the same time she was a little amused by it and she felt almost proud of him…even though he had directed an attack of sorts at her he was defending those he loved…again, and this showed her a side of him that she had doubted existed and she was quietly pleased that he had come so far.

"What the hell was that?" said Elena, totally confused. "Are you alright?" inquired Damon sincerely. "I'm fine…just a little bit confused as to what is going on. Who is that?" she motioned with her head discretely towards Melissa and then became transfixed on Tom. Damon nudged her and her head moved slowly back towards Damon, her mouth slightly open in disbelief. "Damon?...What's going on!?" He took her hand in his and with his other hand he turned her head so that their eyes met and with his new found Chanul power he transferred all the information of the last few days to Elena and her eyes flashed momentarily as if in receipt of a new data file.

"Whoa… that was totally…weird. How..? Elena paused… "Never mind...what happened to you a moment ago? Your eyes…"

"I can feel Silas getting closer and he knows we're all together now…I say we just get out of here, he's not looking too good and I'd say his mood matches his looks right about now."

The concern on Stefan's face was obvious…"What? We can't just leave now. Silas will keep coming after us and eventually he would catch us. We can't leave Damon."

Damon looked at Stefan and indicated through his facial expression that it was something he thought was quite possible. Stefan stepped towards him, hoping to appeal to his better side but after the initial move forward he became stuck, held in position and unable to do anything.

"Enough" stated Melissa and Stefan was released from his stasis. He gasped and fell forward. Damon held his hands up and backed away. "That wasn't me." He looked over at Stefan and asked "You OK brother?" Stefan just looked at him with anger and disappointment in his eyes.

"It was you Damon…you're losing control of the Chanul power you still have. It became an extension of you…your thoughts."

"Well how can I get rid of it…I'm not losing Elena again and look at us, how are we going to defeat Silas and his goons…he's got an army of them."

"To be honest with you, I don't know how you still have them. Any residual power should have gone hours ago. We'll have to get the others now…we'll split up in to three groups; each group gets one of the others. I'll be in touch with you all through a psychic link; if we move fast and then regroup at the old house in the woods we can be ready before he attacks. If everyone plays their part, we can all walk away from this…we can.

Tom took Melissa's hand and gently pulled her towards him as he slowly moved away from the others. She did not resist and followed his lead to the other room.

He placed his hand so gently on her face…he knew her mind and heart too well now and she knew that he knew. She took a shaky breath and her eyes welled with tears…one escaped and raced down her cheek. Tom wiped it away with his Thumb and pulled her in close to his chest, his arms reaching around her like a shield. She held on tight as though to let go would be to die. "Do you think they know?" she whispered. "No, Lissa…you kept it very well hidden from them. Now I understand why you were getting so upset with Damon, you had to use extra energy to keep tabs on him, to keep him safe and to protect the others from his recklessness…energy you needed to keep me out of your mind." He released his hold on her body and moved away just far enough to lift her face to show her that they are together now, no matter what…for good or bad…live or die. "You don't need to protect me anymore Liss." His eyes teared as he thought of her pain and awaited her acknowledgement of his statement. Until she did he wouldn't be sure of her commitment to him and he could still lose her. The gaze between them lasted only a fleeting moment and yet was filled with love and understanding and utter devotion.

"OK" uttered Melissa. "All in then"

"All in" replied Tom with a half-smile.

Whilst the couples had branched off to reassure one another and affirm their love Blake had moved out of the immediate vicinity to deal with a problem of her own. She hadn't been feeling too well but was afraid to alert the others or ask them for help because she still felt isolated and vulnerable. She found a quiet area at the opposite end of the house and thought she would take a minute to gather her thoughts and grab a drink or something. Her body had other ideas however and her legs weakened beneath her, her heart began to race and beads of sweat formed on her brow. She fumbled along the passageway disoriented and afraid eventually stumbling in to an alcove where she came to an abrupt stop. From a crumpled heap she forced herself in to a more dignified and comfortable sitting position. Her body was now soaked in sweat and she couldn't think straight. Panic crept in to her thoughts and she prepared for the worst, fearing she was returning to death…no one to hold her hand or comfort her as she passed from this world. As she resigned herself to this parting of ways a lone tear trickled down her beaded face.

Suddenly she felt herself moving, being pulled away from the wall and she was helpless to stop it or to call out for help.

"Blake? Can you hear me?"

"Lay her down over there…get some water and some ice if you have it"

"What's happening to her…she's burning up. Why didn't she say anything?"

In her confusion she could hear voices…they seemed familiar but she couldn't remember where she was or who she was with. She was powerless and the fear was growing. Then… a hand on her head and a sensation of coolness that was comforting along with a voice that offered a sense of protection and safety.

"It's OK Blake, just relax and slow down your breathing. You're OK…" Damon's reassuring words helped ease Blake's breathing and gave the group some breathing room of their own to help her.

"She is gonna be OK right?" asked Damon addressing the room.

Caroline rushed over with some ice and water and indicated that she had no idea with her silence and fretful demeanour.

"Melissa…do you know what's happening to her? Is it Silas?"

"No Caroline, I don't think it's Silas. I think it's Blake. I think she's breaking out."

"Are we supposed to know what that is? Breaking out? In a rash?"

Melissa smiled "No Damon…In to something quite extraordinary I think"

"Anything that starts with 'in to SOMETHING' is never good"

"She just needs to sleep for a while and she'll be fine." Melissa placed a gem in to Blake's hand and she became calm and at rest. "We'll give her as much time as we can and then we have to move."

Taking the opportunity that Blake's condition presented, Caroline approached Melissa and asked for a quick word.

"What is it Caroline?" inquired Melissa. Moving closer and out of ear shot of the others Caroline asked "what you said before, about Stefan being tied to Damon and him not knowing why…I'd like to know what you were talking about."

"That was something for Stefan to know if he chose to. I shouldn't have mentioned it, I was unsure of how to get through to him and I used poor judgement by bringing it up the way that I did. I'm sorry but I cannot discuss it with you." She turned to leave Caroline and as she did so she saw Stefan standing there with his arms folded leaning against the corner of the door. "I'd also like to know what you meant by that."

Melissa motioned for Stefan to come forward and take a seat. "Very well, she said…I will tell you of the magic that binds the two of you so tightly that nothing of this worlds making could break"

Melissa told Stefan that when he and Damon were first made in to vampires there was some very bad blood between them. This stemmed from the circumstances that created Damon, and Stefan bowed his head in shame. At this point Melissa took Stefan's hand and reassured him that he should not feel shame because they were both victims and no man would have control over his actions when first turned. Stefan appreciated the sentiment but it offered him little comfort. She continued, "When Emily Bennett made the daylight rings for you and Damon, she also entered into a pact with him that he would always protect her descendants. However, she could see how betrayed he felt by you for what you had done and feared that his anger would eventually consume him, leaving her family more vulnerable. When she herself was betrayed by Katherine, she felt she had no choice but to create a spell that would ensure her families continued survival. If Damon was to play a part in this then he would need to keep the bond he had shared with his brother. To do this Emily used ancient magic to tap into the power of Qetsiyah and knowing of the Salvatore history and familiarities of the two of you, she designed the spell to strengthen the bond between you whenever you uttered the word 'brother' to one another. Whether it was in rage, love, disgust or fear…that bond would see the two of you defend and fight for each other no matter what."

"All this time it's been that word that has kept Stefan going back to his brother?" Caroline uttered out loud but only meaning to think it.

"No…that's not why…Damon and me, we ARE brothers and I love him, no matter what…That's not a spell…it's not what's kept us together."

The spell WAS cast Stefan and you will always run to his defence as he will to yours. If you would like I can sever the mystical bond that exists between you and you will both be free to choose for yourselves. If the brotherly bond is truly strong enough it will keep you together. Caroline's face seemed to light up and she looked at Stefan expectantly. Stefan didn't seem to take the news quite so well and walked slowly away to be alone.

In the past, Damon's eves dropping techniques had always served him well and kept him informed of everyone's little secrets but on this occasion he had regretted listening. His mind raced as he conjured every memory he could of times when he and Stefan should have walked away from one another over a despicable deed one of them had perpetrated on the other and he knew what Melissa said must be true. For the first time in a very long time Damon experienced something he couldn't explain…he was confused, unsure of himself and vulnerable. He felt totally exposed and was uncertain of how to proceed…with anything. He literally began to shut down, he was overwhelmed and half stumbled in to a chair. His shoulders fell forward and he lowered his head in to his hands. The thought of losing Stefan was too much for him to bear. Stefan was his only family, his strength in dark times and his salvation in others. What would he do if he was alone? How long could he hold on to Elena with Stefan out of his life? His world was crumbling and his heart was breaking.

Melissa immediately senses the shift in Damon's emotional state and approaches him to offer counsel. When she's close enough to see his face she knows there may be more trouble ahead than they can handle. "Damon?"

"Go away…leave me alone…give me some space"

"OK, I will, but first…could you look at me?"

He whipped his head towards her angrily…"What?"

One by one, the others moved closer with startled looks on their faces and concern growing for Damon and themselves. Damon's face was covered in veins, similar to the look of a vampire but not quite. There was a blue glow pulsing through his veins and even Melissa was at a loss to explain this one.

"What's wrong with him?"

"What's wrong with me? Well, I don't know Bonnie, let's see, your great great…whatever, cast a spell to keep Stefan in my life and some psycho is trying to kill us all, we're holed up here with lots of the same people and my brother is gonna leave me…and…I need him."

Damon tried to get to his feet but was unsteady and was struggling to find the words to express himself. "Damon, you need to focus…you're losing control again." "I need blood…"

"Damon…brother" "Don't say that!" yelled Damon "It means nothing…It…" before he could finish Melissa had induced a state of unconsciousness to protect everyone.

"Oh great…now we have two people out, will he be Ok, can you help him?" asked Stefan frantically.

"His power is definitely tied to his emotional state and clearly he knows about the enchantment placed upon you both. You know him better than anyone…what are the chances he can get control?"

Everyone looked at Stefan, including Elena who was nervously biting her lip. "Seriously? It's Damon…there's very little control on a good day. I'd say we're in a lot more trouble than I thought."

"Ummm" rousing from her sleep Blake spoke up…"We're not in trouble, Damon will get control, he just needs some time to centre himself, and he thinks he's lost his anchor…his tether to sanity, but he will do it."

"How can you possibly know that?" asked Tom from the back of the room. "I saw it…I know that sounds weird but I just know, he'll be fine."

"What else do you know Blake?"

"I know we have to get the others now…there's no time to waste and we all have to be conscious to do it…so…you had better wake Damon up and take a step back."

"Maybe we should wait just a bit longer…did you see his face?" said Bonnie "he does not have control."

Damon stirred on the floor, Melissa had lifted the suppression on his mind and he got to his feet, momentarily forgetting what had transpired. He looked around at everyone looking at him and uttered "Oh…yeah…wow, sorry about before…I was feeling a little blue."

"Not funny Damon" expressed Elena as she moved forward throwing Damon's arm over her shoulder to help him.

"Damon" Stefan moved forward but sensing what was coming Damon cut him off and said "don't mention it brother…he paused after saying 'brother' and wondered if it would ever hold the same meaning for him again…I just need to feed and I'll be fine."

"We need to talk about what happened"

"Time for that later!" Damon said flippantly as he walked away…secretly hoping there would never be a later.

Melissa, Tom and Blake were going to retrieve 'Katherine', Bonnie, Damon and Elena were going for 'Amura' and Caroline and Stefan were going to secure 'Tatia' and then await the others to revive her. Blake had informed them that they had exactly two hours to pull it off or one or more of their groups would be compromised and everything would have been for nothing.

The whole group were amazed at how well Blake was handling things now, since she had developed this ability to know the future she had removed many unknown variables and was able to offer stability where there was once chaos and doubt. The group needed this. How she had come by these abilities was unknown for now and no one was asking the question…they were all just grateful for a little help.

E lena took a long look at the assembled friends in front of her and taking Damon's hand tightly she declared that it was time by saying… "Ok, let's get this done…three to go and two hours to do it…no problem at all, let's bring everyone home."


End file.
